Crash Course
by xoxoKelly
Summary: Christian Grey is a business professor at WSU where he meets a very intriguing student- Anastasia Steele. Will their relationship remain professional, or will they succumb to the obvious spark between them? Rated M for graphic scenes.
1. Chapter 1

**Crash Course:**  
**Chapter 1**

(Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, only my original ideas belong to me.)

* * *

Ever since I was little, reading was my favorite thing to do. While other children my age were out in the park, on the monkey bars or swinging around the jungle gym, I was on the bench lost in a good book. It didn't take me long to realize what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. While my friends claimed they wanted to be a princess or a cheerleader, I _knew_ that I wanted to read books for a living.

"Miss Steele, you need to take this class in order to graduate."

I'm staring at my college advisor, Lorraine Adams. She's a dark-skinned woman with a buzz cut hairstyle. Her facial features are soft, she has small eyes with dark brown lashes. Long feathery earrings hang down the sides of her head and her lips are painted with a burgundy lipstick. I've known her since day one of registration in WSU almost four years ago. She took an interest in me for some reason, and over the years I have grown to like her.

"Mrs. Adams, why do I need to pay for this business class when it doesn't even relate to my major?"

"I understand your concern Ana, but the literature department has made it a requirement for graduation. This course is necessary for all Literature majors, especially if you plan to work for any kind of company in the future. It's just Business 101, which will basically just cover the introductory aspects. Ana, I have watched you grow over these past few years, transitioning yourself from a teenage girl to a very smart and independent woman. Don't let a little business class bring you down. I know it's not what you expected for your senior year of college, but it's important."

I groan, "Do I really need this to graduate?"

She closes her eyes patiently and nods, "Yes. And along with this course, you will be taking a Literature Editing class which will be beneficial for you since you want to work in publishing. Being an editor for a company is hard work, you'll be reading four to five manuscripts a day. The class will show you an overview of what you can expect in a publishing company. My job here is to push you in the right direction so that you will have a career once you graduate from WSU. All of this will help you in the future- trust me."

Sighing, I nod. I had trusted her all these years, I couldn't let her down now.

"Since you're only taking two classes this semester, you have plenty of room for electives. You'll need at least one more class to fulfill your credit requirement. Are there any that you're interested in?"

I rack my brain, I haven't really taken any elective courses since I started school. I suppose I could take journalism, and spend an extra hour with Kate everyday. Or I could take photography to be with Jose. But I hate journalism (mainly because I suck at interviewing people and gathering information) and I'm a lousy photographer (apparently clicking a button doesn't make you a professional). Plus, I already see enough of Kate and Jose after school and on the weekends. If anything I need a break away from them. I always put other people ahead of myself and never really give in to what I want.

I smile and nod, "You know, I'd love to take that cooking class you were telling me about the other day." I picture myself in chef attire, with the large white hat, whisking away in a metal bowl.

Lorraine nods in agreement, "You'll love it. Professor Gail Jones teaches the class and from what I heard, she's an amazing teacher. Soon you'll be making crème brulee like a chef."

* * *

"Can you believe this is the last semester before we graduate?" Kate is smiling, her rosy skin looks radiant against her green cashmere sweater. Her curvy figure is pinned down in a pair of sexy blue jeans, topped of with a pair of suede boots. Her wavy strawberry blonde hair is loose and wild around her. My best friend and roommate Kate Kavanaugh is not only the most beautiful girl in the entire school, she also has the best fashion sense. She can make a pair of thirty dollar jeans look like a million bucks.

I, on the other hand can make a pair of million dollar jeans look like thirty bucks.

Not that I could afford a pair of million dollar jeans, or a pair for thirty bucks either. I'm dressed in a pair of soft black leggings, a long button down shirt in a greyish color and a pair of boots similar to Kate's. My straight, boring brown hair goes down to the middle of my back. My pale skin makes me look like a ghost next to Kate and my icy blue eyes are lifeless.

"Ana? Kate?" We hear a voice behind us and both turn around in our seats, "You guys are taking this class too?"

It's Jose, our good friend that we've known for the past three years. He's a grade below us, so we've never had a class with him before. His dark hair is spiked up and his naturally tan skin is unusual for this time of the year. He smiles broadly before taking a seat beside me, showing all of his white teeth. The lecture hall is starting to fill in, and I presume that class is about to start.

"Yeah, we need it to graduate," Kate explains.

"Cool, I've always wanted to take a class with you guys. This semester should be interesting. A whole four months with you guys, doing the same homework and studying from the same textbooks."

I roll my eyes, "It's not like you don't spend every second with us anyway."

Kate laughs and Jose smiles at me.

Soon, the entire room turns quiet as the professor walks to the center of the room. Sitting in the middle of the third row, I can see him clearly. My mouth drops open and my eyes remain on him, never blinking. He's young- really young, probably in his mid to late twenties. His hair is dark, smooth and pushed back creating an effortless look. He's wearing an expensive looking dark gray suit, with a white shirt and silver silk tie. I gulp as I study him from head to toe. His body is built, and I could make out the shape of his muscles underneath his suit jacket.

I glance around at Kate and the other girls around me- all of them seem to be just as affected by his presence. Then I look towards Jose, he has somewhat of an annoyed expression on his face. I turn my attention back to the front of the room to find a pair of gray eyes staring right at me.

"Good morning class, my name is Christian Grey. You may call me Professor Grey, and welcome to Business 101," and while his lips move, his eyes never leave mine. Seconds pass before his gray orbs leave my blue ones but it feels like hours, "Some of you may already know me, but for those of you who don't: I'm not here to play games, I'm here to do my job. I don't accept any late homework and I don't give out make up exams. There are about a hundred and fifty students in here, and I expect all of you to follow the rules and guidelines I have set for this class. Understood?"

Everyone nods in unison.

"Good. Now, I will be handing out the syllabus along with a short questionnaire that I would like for you all to fill out and give to me at the end of the class period." He hands a short stack of papers to the first person in every row, they then pass them down until everyone in the room has a syllabus and questionnaire. I eye the first paper, the beginning shows a list of rules for the class, then the expectations, then a course schedule of what we'll be learning for the next few months. The second paper has five questions and the directions say to answer each in a complete paragraph.

"Once you finish the questionnaire, you may hand it in and leave. That will be all for today."

The first four questions are basic business inquiries, like _Have you ever considered opening your own business or company? _And _How much money do you think goes into making a successful business or company?_I blanch at the questions, and glance at the side to Kate. She's scribbling furiously on her paper. I glance to the other side at Jose, he looks at me just as confused and lost.

I shrug my shoulders and begin. I know nothing about business, but somehow for the next half an hour I bullshit my way through the questionnaire. I doubt he's going to grade them, they're probably just to see what we already know. After I finish the first four questions, I look up and around the room. More than half of the students already left, and I haven't realized it until now. Who would give up the chance to leave class early on the first day? I'm pretty sure they all wrote half-assed responses as quickly as they could.

Kate and Jose are still sitting on either side of me. Kate looks like she's nearly finished and just skimming through her thoughtfully planned answers. Jose appears to still be on the second question. I roll my eyes playfully and smile to myself. Eventually I look up at the podium and once again I'm being hypnotized by a pair of gray eyes. I shudder and bite my lip, looking down at the last question.

_How do you feel about solar powered products in today's society?_

I smile and begin writing.

_In my opinion, solar powered products should be used a lot more in today's society because of the many benefits it holds. For one, it does not need or use any source of electricity. It runs wholly on the usage of sunlight, which a renewable and unlimited resource. The usage of natural sunlight is the probably the best source of energy out there and it should definitely be used more by companies instead of relying on batteries, plugs and wires. Solar powered products can benefit a company by saving a lot of money without the use of powered light. Businesses can then focus that money somewhere else which can help the company succeed in a different direction._

I smooth my paper down and look up again. Kate's already gone and so is 90% of the class. I give Jose a half smile before standing up and looping my bag over my shoulder. I try my best not to trip and fall as I walk quickly down the lecture hall towards the front. The professor is standing behind the podium, but instead of staring at me like before, he's typing away at his laptop. _Was he looking at me that whole time?_

When I'm no more than four feet away from him, he stops typing and glances in my direction. As I get closer I notice the scent of his cologne. It's a heavenly smell that makes me weak in the knees."Thank you, Ms. Steele," he accepts my paper and acknowledges my name at the top. I watch his eyes skim down to the bottom of the paper as he reads my answer to the last question. A slight smile tugs at the corner of his tight lips, "I'm intrigued about your answer for number five. I have to say- I completely feel the same way."

I nod and smile, not really capable of doing anything else.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning," he then lowers his voice so that the remaining students can't hear him, "And stop biting your lip Ms. Steele, it's very distracting."


	2. Chapter 2

**Crash Course:**  
**Chapter 2**

(Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, only my original ideas belong to me.)

* * *

"Well here's to our first day of our last semester!"

Kate is holding up a shot of tequila. Jose and I join, holding up our glasses before tilting our head back and swallowing the bitter drink. Jose isn't graduating with us, but he never turns down an opportunity to drink with us. After an interesting day at school, we all met up at the neighborhood bar to celebrate. I'm wearing the same clothes from earlier, but Kate decided to change into a tight fitting black dress. With her body, she could be wearing a potato sack and guys would still be all over her.

Jose is holding me at the waist, and I squirm uncomfortably in his arm.

He whispers something in my ear, but I can't hear him over the loud music. I shake my head at him, indicating that I can't understand what he's saying. He points to the door, gesturing to follow him outside, and I nod. I look back at Kate and notice she's dancing with a guy. There's a smile on her face and she looks happy, I decide not to bother her as I follow Jose to the door.

The cool air hits me hard.

It's January but it hasn't snowed yet this winter. We've had a lot of rain and sleet and hail, but the white fluffy snow hasn't made it's way through Washington yet. I throw my jacket on, and hug my own body to stay warm. My hearing has come back and my head feels a little woozy as we walk down the street a little. I vow to not drink anymore tequila as I peer up at the moon on top of us. Everything else is dark, the only thing I can make out is the streetlights on the corner of each block.

"So what did you want to talk about?" My gaze is still on the moon, but I could feel Jose's eyes on me. I shudder as I recall the way he was holding me around the waist in the bar. Thankfully, I just pretend that I'm cold and not disgusted.

"Just wanted to know if you were having a good time," I know he's smiling even though I can't see him. Eventually I break away from my gaze at the stars and turn to him, "You look really pretty tonight," he's eying me up and down, and even though I have my coat on, I still feel violated. He's supposed to be like my brother, I'm supposed to feel comfortable around him. Our fathers are best friends... we knew each other for while when we were children.

I blush, but not in the way he thinks. My face turns red because he always says these kinds of things to me and it makes me feel awkward. What am I supposed to say back? I love him like a brother, nothing more than that. I have never felt anything between us- well anything romantic. I swallow loudly and shove my hands deep into my coat pockets, forcing a smile on my face, "Thanks. But have you seen Kate? _She_ looks amazing."

I try to change the subject but he shakes his head, "I'm not interested in Kate," he walks closer to me, and I wish there wasn't a brick wall behind my back, "Ana, it's you. It's always been you. You're the one that I want to be with. Since day one, since my first day here, I knew that you were the girl for me. You're funny, cute, and too kind for your own good," he's now close enough to stroke the hair in front of my face, but it only makes me feel more uncomfortable.

"Jose, don't-"

"No, Ana, you don't understand the affect you have on me. I've been wanting to kiss you for a long time," he leans down and just as his lips are about to brush mine, the door slams open and music mixed with laughter is booming through the doorway. Jose and I jump away from each other as Kate emerges. She's followed by a tall, handsome guy with light sandy hair and a soft smile on his face. "Oh, my friends are over there," she tells him, and he smiles and waves at us from the door.

I wave back politely but Jose just stands there.

"Thanks for the dance" he leans down before kissing Kate softly on the forehead, "Laters baby," and before we know it, he's walking swiftly down the block in the other direction.

Kate walks towards us with the biggest grin plastered on her face, her heels clank on the sidewalk and her coat billows open in the wind. Apparently she didn't notice the closeness between Jose and I, instead her eyes light up and her face reddens, "Oh Ana! Did you see the way that gorgeous guy kissed me on the forehead?! He is such a gentleman, I want him so bad."

"Well, did you get his number?" I loop my arm with hers and I notice that Jose looks annoyed. We begin to walk down the block, towards our apartment building.

"Why yes I did," she holds up her phone proudly, "His name is Elliot, he's an engineer and we're going on a date this Friday!"

I beam at her, "That's great!"

"Well I guess I'm going to head over to my dorm while you guys continue talking about some thirty year old guy who might as well be some kind of serial killer that picks up women at local college bars."

Kate and I turn silent, looking at Jose with raised eyebrows.

"Goodnight," he mutters, turning away and stalking into the night.

"What's his problem?"

I shrug, but secretly know it's because his big chance at a kiss was ruined by Kate and her new guy. Inside I feel relieved that we were interrupted... because if that kiss happened, I wouldn't know where our friendship would go. Hopefully he's too drunk and won't remember what happened between us in the morning. Hopefully _I'm_ too drunk and _I _won't remember what happened between us in the morning.

* * *

Kate and I are back in the lecture hall the next morning.

Her head is on the desk and her blonde hair is tied up in a messy bun. She has a major hangover that not even two aspirins and a cup of coffee can cure. But all though she has the headache of the year, she can't stop grinning about the guy she met last night. She must have thrown up twice this morning, and I seriously don't know how she still manages to look like a supermodel at eight o'clock in the morning.

My appearance is a different story. I'm wearing a deep plum colored long sleeved shirt, it's snug around my breast and shows the skinny curve of my waist. My black plain black jeans are tight and stuffed into a pair of ankle-length military boots. My hair is in a smooth ponytail today, and I even managed to steal some of Kate's eyeliner and mascara.

I don't know why I'm trying to look nice today.

But then the reason comes striding into the room and all of my classmates turn silent. Kate lifts up her head a little as Mr. Grey approaches the podium. He's dashing in a black suit with a light blue shirt and navy blue tie. His hair is neat and he looks cleanly shaven. I blush, remembering the scent of his cologne when I had gotten close to him yesterday and I wonder if he's wearing it again today.

For a moment, his gray eyes flicker to mine and a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips.

My heart is beating against my ribcage and I tell myself that he was looking at the girl in front of me, or maybe the one behind me. Or Kate! Yeah, he was obviously looking at Kate! I mean- who wouldn't? Even with the world's largest hangover, she looks awesome in her dark blue jeans and gray cardigan. And as his eyes travel away from mine, my heart starts to beat at it's normal speed. I feel breathless and I squirm in my seat a little.

I watch him as he turns on his laptop and the large projecting screen behind him. I monitor his every move as he rifles through a few papers in his briefcase. He takes off his suit-jacket so that I notice every muscle under his crisp blue shirt. I notice that his powerpoint is starting to load on the screen above and he's just about ready to start his lesson.

"Mr. Rodriguez," Mr. Grey's booming voice startles everyone, "Nice of you to join us."

Everyone turns around to see Jose walking through the door with his hair a mess and his backpack slung over his shoulder. He stops in the middle of the row, frozen in his spot as the professor continues to stare at him. My mouth hangs open, I completely forgot about the events that happened last night. I didn't even realize that he wasn't sitting next to me. I was completely lost in the world of Christian Grey to notice anything else around me.

"Mr. Rodriguez, do you own a watch?"

A few people in the class are snickering, but Kate and I remain silent.

Jose gulps, "Um yeah."

"And what time is it?"

He looks down at the worn out leather watch around his wrist, "8:04."

"And what time does this class start?"

"8:00?"

"Miss Steele," I jump at the sound of my own name and look back at the professor, "Can you please read the second rule on the syllabus."

My hands are trembling as I open the folder laying on my desk, I can feel everyone's eyes on me as I slide the paper out and rake my eyes over the list of rules. I clear my throat a little, but it still sounds shaky, "Rule number two: Class starts at eight a.m. sharp, if you are not in the room by that time, do not bother coming to class at all."

When I finish and look up, his gray eyes are on me, I feel my face flush under pressure and the gaze of his eyes makes something in my stomach turn.

I tug my bottom lip between my teeth and watch as he shifts behind the podium.

"Mr. Rodriguez, you may take your seat, but please don't make it a habit of coming late to my class."

I don't look back at Jose, but I feel him plop down in the empty chair beside me. I could tell that his face is red with both embarrassment and anger.

The rest of the hour moves in a blur, and I realize that I like watching Mr. Grey as he walks back and forth, motioning his arms around while trying to explain a topic. I try to write down as much notes from the powerpoint, but in the end my attention span doesn't last more than a few minutes at a time. I watch the curve of his lips move as he talks, and the way he answers questions from curious students.

I count the number of times he runs his fingers through his hair within the hour.

Twenty-four.

Oftentimes I find his eyes on mine, but I keep reminding myself that it's Kate he's looking at. Or the blonde girl sitting in front of me that keeps playing with her hair. I shake my head, and once the clock hits 9:00 the class begins to file out of the room. I hadn't even realized what time it was. Kate's already packed and standing up, Jose already left and I'm still stuffing my notebook in my messenger bag.

"Miss Steele, can you come here for a moment."

I look up and into the eyes of Grey. My heart leaps out of my throat, and I nod, throwing the bag over my shoulder. I turn to Kate, "I'll meet you outside," I whisper, but I can tell she doesn't really care and also doesn't notice the shakiness in my voice. She shrugs and leaves the room behind the rest of the crowd, her head is probably still pounding with the hangover.

I walk down the steps of the lecture hall until I'm close to the podium.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your work for the questionnaire. You gave the best answers out of everyone. Are you planning on having a career in business?"

Looking up at him, I shrug, "Not really, I'm majoring in Literature. I want to be an editor for a publishing company."

"Interesting," I watch as his eyes trail over my body.

I bite on my lip, "Are you sure I had the best responses? What about Kate?"

"Kate?" He asks, ruffling his eyebrows.

"Oh, Katherine Kavanagh."

He tilts his head, rifling through the papers on the podium, "Aha, Katherine Kavanagh. Her responses were really good... but too logical. Yours were more _practical _more _realistic,"_ He runs his hands through his hair, "There's something about you Miss Steele that just captivates me- oh an stop biting that lip," he tugs my bottom lip from between my teeth. I blush from the physical contact.

"Sorry," I mumble and cross my arms over my chest.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning Miss Steele, and tell your boyfriend to come on time," he grabs his things and stuffs them in his briefcase.

I raise my eyebrow in confusion and then my mind registers what happened this morning, "Oh, Jose? Oh he's not my boyfriend," I flush.

He shrugs, "The way he looks at you says something."

Before I know it, he's out of the room with his briefcase in one hand and his suit jacket in the other. I watch him from behind as I stand alone in the lecture hall, wondering what the hell just happened between us. I shiver in my spot, wrapping my arms around myself. I touch my bottom lip in the same spot where he tugged it out from between my teeth and smile.

* * *

**Thank you guys so much for the reviews! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story. I know I'm taking the whole romance thing slow, but I just have so many ideas and I want to take my time with it.**

**Anyway, I'm curious to know who you guys think the perfect Christian and Ana would be if the books were made into a movie! I definitely picture Matt Bomer and Troian Bellisario, what do you guys think? Let me know in the reviews :D**

**- Kelly.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Crash Course:**  
**Chapter 3**

**(Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, only my original ideas belong to me.)**

* * *

It's late Friday morning and my first week of the new semester has flew by in a blur.

With the distractions of homework, essays, a hot teacher and memorizing recipes for my cooking class, I had no time for myself. Thankfully, this morning I awoke at a reasonable hour which allowed me enough time to blow out my long wavy brown hair and find an amazing outfit. I'm wearing my sexy jeans with my knee length leather boots and a beige knitted sweater. The outfit is certainly outside of my comfort zone but I figured it couldn't hurt to dress up a little every once in a while.

Kate gave me a thumbs up before leaving the house, which definitely boosted my confidence.

My Literature Editing class is dragging on and on, and my eyelids are falling with tiredness. The professor is a bland man named Jack Hyde, who has too much facial hair and thinks his corny jokes are funny. He always wears the same button down shirt with slacks and an ugly green tie. He's not exactly _ugly_, if anything he is quite handsome, but the way he watches me with hungry eyes makes me feel weird.

He likes to call on me a lot even when I'm not raising my hand, and it often makes me feel uncomfortable. I think the reason why he likes to pick on me is because I'm one of the only female student in the class.

I'm chewing on the end of my number two pencil, with an assignment in front of me. It's a fake manuscript that we're supposed to be editing, and I can't think straight after just spending an hour undressing Mr. Christian Grey with my eyes. I sigh and try my best to focus on the task in front of me. But eventually my mind drifts back to the gray eyes that have been hypnotizing me all week. _Do I honestly have a crush on my teacher?_ I smile to myself as I recall the dark gray suit and purple button down shirt he was wearing this morning. The way his crisp shirt wraps around his firm muscles and biceps...

And his striped tie... ugh _how can he possibly make a simple piece of silk look so good_?

Once again I'm lost. Lost in the world of Christian Grey and unable to focus or think about anything else. It couldn't just be my imagination... the way he would randomly smirk towards my direction, or continuously stare right into my eyes... I've known him for a week! Not even a week... it's been five days. Yet the affect he has on me, it's unexplainable.

Sometimes I catch him rubbing his bottom lip while looking straight at me, and I know he wants me to stop biting on mine. I smile and usually blush at the thought of him being "distracted" by my nervous habit.

"Do you need any help?"

I jump at the voice next to my ear. I tilt my head to the side and notice Professor Hyde leaning over the back of my chair. He places each of his hands on both of my shoulders and I shiver under his touch. I could feel his chest as he positions his body closer to my back.

"Cold?" He asks, rubbing the sides of my arms. I shake my head and try to wiggle myself out of his grasp. I'm frozen in my spot, and my face must be the deep shade of an overripe tomato. With no luck, I slump uncomfortably in the chair and gulp loudly looking around at the rest of the class. Everyone else is working on their assignments not even noticing me or the teacher. I can smell his breath over me and shift again in the seat.

"It looks like your stuck over here," he notices and releases one of my shoulders as he points to a section on the paper.

_Yeah I'm stuck under your hands!_

"Um no, I'm just a little distracted, that's all," I confess.

I feel the hair on his chin brush against the top of my head as he leans over to examine the paper again. Seconds tick by as his face is just centimeters away from mine, but it feels like hours. Thankfully the clock hits 11:00 and the rest of the class is beginning to pack up their things. _Finally_. Hyde must have noticed as everyone begins talking and making noise.

He releases me and steps away from my chair, "Alright class, finish editing the manuscript for homework, and I want them on my desk by Monday morning. Have a good weekend," I jump out of my seat and shove my books in my bag as fast as I can. I don't want to be the last one in the room with him. As I rush out with the rest of the class, I could have sworn he winked at me.

My face flushes and I run into Kate on my way to the far side of the building for my cooking class.

"Ana what's wrong, you look paler than usual," she tucks in a lock of blonde hair behind her ear and studies me closely. She can always tell when something is going wrong with me. It's like a sixth sense with her. I could never get anything past her without making it look suspicious.

"It's nothing Kate, I just have a lot of homework," I lie through gritted teeth as I shiver from remembering the way he touched me. The feeling of his hands traveling down my arms disgusts me and my throat turns dry. _That bastard._

My best friend grabs me by the arm which forces me to halt in my spot, "Ana, your cooking class doesn't start until 11:30, now tell me what's wrong. Since when have you ever been upset over homework? You are the most hardworking person I know and I hate when you lie to me about stuff like this. I don't like seeing you mad or angry or whatever. So tell me the truth, please."

Her eyeliner rimmed eyes are searching mine and I give in.

"It's Hyde. My Literature Editing professor. I feel uncomfortable around him."

She's silent for a moment, and I could almost see the debate going through her mind. The expression on her face changes from confusion to something else... Suddenly her mouth hangs open, "Did he... touch you?" Her voice travels down to a whisper and her words are filled with revolt and hatred. The crowd of rushing students don't notice anything and keep walking by.

I gulp and shake my head, my mind travels back to the classroom where he held my shoulders and rubbed the length of my arms, "No, it's just that he looks at me weird and he gets a little too close sometimes. I don't know what I should say or what I should do. I just don't like it," I decide not to tell her about the whole shoulders and arms thing, she would literally flip out if she found out.

Kate ruffles her perfectly waxed eyebrows, "Ana, just try to distance yourself from him for now. I know that's probably hard considering you have to see him every day... but if he ever touches you inappropriately..." She doesn't finish her sentence, and I don't think she needs to. The tone of her voice is more than serious and I feel nervous under her stare. I know that Kate is capable of a lot of things... and believe me, if it came to it, she could single handily take him down. Over the years she proved that she would do anything for me, and vice versa.

"I know Kate, I'll be fine, thanks. And I should go," I announce, "I like to help Ms. Jones set up the kitchen before class starts."

She smiles, and her face resumes back to it's rosy state, "Okay, go ahead you little teacher's pet."

I smile back, but for some reason when she calls me _teacher's pet_, I'm no longer thinking about Ms. Jones, instead my mind is invaded by a pair of cold gray eyes.

"Wait, before you go," She flashes her pearly white teeth at me, "I have a favor to ask of you," I remain silent but gesture for her to continue, "Okay, so you know Elliot and I are going on our first date tonight, buuut the thing is that his brother is tagging along and I don't want him to feel like a third wheel, so I was thinking that maybe you can come too and it'll be like a double da-"

I groan and hold my hand up to interrupt her rant.

"Kate, I don't go on dates. I'm clumsy and embarrassing and awkward to be around. You know this."

"Oh Ana please, I really like this guy and honestly... I think I can make it work between us. I seriously have never felt like this about anyone else... we talk on the phone for hours every night and he sends me these cute texts in the morning... and ugh Ana! I'm falling for him so fast and so hard... I love this feeling."

I tilt my head and smile at her enthusiasm, I roll my eyes playfully, "Fine, fine! I'll go! But I can't guarantee that I'll have anything to wear."

Her famous smile returns to her graceful face, "Thank you so much!" She hugs me roughly and I can't help but plaster a bigger grin on my face. There's nothing better than a happy Kate, "And don't worry, you can borrow anything you want from my closet. Even that blue dress you've had your eye on for the longest!"

* * *

My five hour shift at Clayton's ran exceptionally smooth for a Friday evening. It's almost seven fifteen when I'm walking into the apartment I share with Kate. Believe it or not, I'm nervous about the whole double date thing tonight. I haven't been out with a guy since last year, and it just ended up so disastrous. I was completely embarrassing and awkward with one of the hottest guys on campus. He was a grade older than me, with dark shaggy hair and a gorgeous smile.

I completely messed that up.

"Ana is that you?"

Kate's voice drifts from her bedroom as I walk down the short hall from the front door. On my way, I pass by an empty kitchen and bathroom. When I reach her room, I'm hit by a hurricane of fruity perfume and hairspray. Clothes are scattered everywhere, on the floor, hanging over chairs, the headboard, the dresser... I gulp as I plop down on her messy bed, wondering how it got this way. Miss Katherine Kavanagh is the most organized person I know.

"Oh Ana," she emerges from her closet in her bra and underwear, "I don't know what to wear. Nothing looks good on me!" Her strawberry blonde hair is in a nice updo with curly tendrils hanging by her ears. The makeup around her eyes is perfectly lined and shaded like a professional.

"Kate, you look amazing in _anything_," I reassure her, "It's me who we should be worried about."

Suddenly her face lights up as if she just remembered something, "I'm letting you wear the blue dress just like I promised," she walks back into her closet and comes out with the dress I had fell in love with since the day she bought it. She hands it over to me, "I've never worn it, but then again it's never looked right on me. I think it was just meant for you."

I beam at her, my face turning red.

I was planning on just wearing something I got on sale at Old Navy, but here comes Kate saving the day. I know this dress must cost more than one of my paychecks, but for my best friend it's considered cheap. Her parents are more than wealthy, so she has one of those credit cards that seem to have no limit. On the other hand, I work my butt off for a measly $200 a week.

"Okay, now we have to find _you _an outfit," I point out, "Honestly, I think you should go with _that_ dress," I'm pointing towards a black dress hanging on the outside of closet. It's a high-low dress with shiny beads all over the chest area and a very flattering neckline. I stand up, admiring it, "This would look great with those new silver heels you bought last week."

She nods in agreement, "You are so right. Okay now shoo shoo," she gestures for me to leave the room, "You need to to get ready, they're going to be here at 8:00!"

My eyes widen as I rush to the bathroom to take a quick shower. I don't wash my hair since I already spent half an hour blowing it out perfectly this morning. I wash Clayton's hardware scent off my skin with a grapefruit body wash while trying not the get my hair wet. I shave my legs and underarms carefully so that I don't cut myself. I spend no more than ten minutes in the shower and hurry to my room with a fluffy pink towel covering me.

I notice Kate has laid out the blue dress on my bed and I smile at it.

After putting on a matching pair of black underwear and bra, I slip on the smooth material over my body. It has a soft feel to it as it tightens around my breast and falls loose around my lower thighs. It's a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline. The hem is barely an inch away from my knees, which in my opinion, is a moderate length for a dress in the winter time. I look into the large mirror over my dresser and gasp at the way the cloth clings onto my body.

"Wow, Ana."

I turn to my doorway to see Kate in her high-low dress and silver heels. She looks beautiful in her outfit, but for some reason she mesmerized by my appearance.

"You. Look. Hot."

I flush, "Thanks, Kate. You don't look so bad yourself."

She turns pink and holds out a pair of black shoes, "Here these are for you. I know if you have it your way, you'd put on a pair of flats. But not tonight, anyway these heels are barely two inches high. You'll be fine."

The funny thing is that she's trying to convince me and reassure me before I even have time to complain.

There's a knock at the door and both our eyes widen, I grab the shoes out of her hands and sling them on quickly. Well, there's no time to complain now.

"I'll get the door," she squeals.

I nod, spritzing some light perfume on the nape of my neck and double checking myself in the mirror. Before leaving my room, I put on a rosy lipgloss and a little eyeliner. Grabbing a small black purse, I stuff my keys, cellphone and wallet.

My heels are clanking on the hardwood floor as I emerge from my bedroom and into the living room where I can hear Elliot's deep voice. He's wearing a dark suit jacket with matching pants and perfectly coiffed hair. As I get closer, I realize there are dimples that dig into the side of his cheeks and his hair is a really light shade of sandy blonde.

"Oh Ana, I would like you to officially meet Elliot," Kate announces, "Elliot this is my very best friend Ana."

We shake hands and I smile politely.

"It's nice to meet you, Kate's told me a lot about you actually. And don't worry, your date didn't flake out or anything, he's just parking the car. He should be here any second."

I nod and for some reason I can't speak.

Hopefully this date goes a lot better than the last one.

I leave Kate and Elliot so that they can catch up with each other, or kiss, or whatever. I'm in the very small foyer in front of the front door and I throw on my black pea coat. It's long enough to cover the length of the dress and it makes me feel uncomfortable in the warm apartment. I button it up and throw on a silver scarf to protect my neck from the cold winter night.

There's a soft knock on the door and I freeze. Kate and Elliot are too engrossed with each other that they don't notice. Gulping, I wrap my hand around the door knob and tug on it gently until I can see another person standing in the door way. I'm looking down, and I see a pair of expensive shoes. My gaze travels up to a pair of black pants and dark suit jacket. Finally, my eyes reach his face.

"Oh no," we say in unison as blue meets gray.

* * *

**Hopefully everyone enjoyed this chapter! Thanks again for the reviews, I love them.**

**I know we didn't see a lot of Mr. Grey in this chapter but don't worry, well see enough in the next one ;)**

**And I wanted to know who you guys think the perfect Elliot and Kate would be, I like to envision Kellan Lutz and Blake Lively. What do you guys think? Let me know in the reviews!**

**- Kelly.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Crash Course:**  
**Chapter 4**

**(Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, only my original ideas belong to me.)**

* * *

"Miss Steele."

"Mr. Grey."

There's a colliding force of both intrigue and confusion as my bright blue eyes lock with his cold gray ones. I notice that his lips aren't in the usual flat line, but instead the corners of his mouth are turning up as if he's suppressing a laugh. His voice is quiet and smooth- the way it sounds when he talks to me in private after class. I notice that his hair is pushed back in it's usual state, and I know he's itching to run his fingers through it.

For a moment, I forget about the couple standing behind me and I'm lost in the icy gray pools of his eyes. Time stops and everything around me immobilizes as I come to the realization that my teacher is at my doorstep, ready to go on a date. With me. A date _with me_. Not with Kate. Not with the hot girl that sits in front of me in class. No. No one but me.

Suddenly I'm brought back to the real world and it all comes crashing down. _He's bound to back out of the date now, right_?

"You guys know each other?" I hear Elliot's voice and I know he's still standing behind us. We continue to stare at each other in both amusement and shock as our eyes never part.

"Yes, Elliot, we know each other," Christian mutters between gritted teeth.

"Well that's great, it won't be awkward!"

My hand is still gripping the door knob and Christian is standing just before the threshold. I turn around to face a clueless Elliot and a rather shocked Kate. Her hand is covering her mouth and she must be speechless. I think this is the last thing we were both expecting to happen.

I gulp loudly and my face flushes, "Actually, I think it will, since I'm his student."

* * *

"Elliot, you are an idiot."

I turn to my professor while seated in the passenger seat of his Audi R8. It's a smooth black car that drives like a dream down the busy highway. The windows are up and the heat is on, blocking out all of the noise from the traffic around us. It's like we're in our own little bubble, away from the rest of Washington. I watch as Christian's eyes never leave the road and I can feel a warmth creep up from my neck. He looks so powerful and in-control behind the wheel.

For a moment I wonder how much money he actually makes to afford this kind of ride.

"How was I supposed to know that they're your students?" Elliot exclaims for the tenth time. But even with his tone, I can't take him seriously because of the dimples that show every time he talks. He apologized about five times since we left the house, and each time Christian would call him an idiot or something worse. At the moment, he and Kate and shacked up in the backseat together, his arm slung over her shoulders. She's quiet and I can tell that she feels guilty about this too, for some reason she always blames herself for everything.

Christian doesn't say anything else for the remainder of the ride, and as we hop onto another freeway, I realize that I have no idea where we're going. I pull out my phone and write a quick text message to Kate. I don't want any of the guys to hear us, and I sure as hell don't want to be the one to break the awkward silence.

**Where are we going? -Ana**

Seconds later, I can hear her phone vibrate through her bag and the rustling noise she makes to retrieve it. She giggles softly, probably at the fact that I didn't just turn around and ask her, but her fingers are rapidly moving with her reply. From the rearview mirror, I can see Elliot looking out the window, distracted by the moving traffic around us.

**Downtown. We're going to eat at this really great restaurant. -Kate**

I grin at her reply, mostly because I'm starving and I haven't eaten anything since breakfast this morning. I decide not to send anything back, but before I have the chance to put my phone away, it vibrates again.

**Ana, I'm so sorry about the whole teacher/date thing. I swear I didn't know he was Elliot's brother. -Kate**

Something washes over me and my chest feels warm. I turn around in my seat and nod my head, "I know, it's okay," I mouth to her, and she gives me a half smile. I want to reassure her that I don't blame her. The thing about Kate is that she'll do anything for me. And she knows that I'd do anything for her; like agreeing to go on this date. She feels like this whole fiasco is her fault for setting me up. But I don't blame her, she had no idea who Elliot's brother could be. Christian Grey was the last person on both our minds.

We pull up in front of the restaurant and the valet takes over the drivers seat with a beaming smile on his face.

"So we're still doing this?" Kate questions, looking around at all of us.

"I don't see why not," Elliot mumbles, "We're all adults, we can handle this maturely."

Christian gapes at him, "You are the most immature person I know."

Ignoring his brother, he holds his arm out for Kate and they head for the entrance of the restaurant together. I watch as they walk in together, then turn to my professor, who's standing behind me.

"You're an awfully quiet person," he points out.

"Well considering the circumstances..." I raise my eyebrows.

"I think I found a solution, or compromise."

"Oh?"

"We should do it for them," he insists, "Elliot has been with a lot of women over the past few years, but I can tell that Kate is different to him. He has not shut up about her for the past week, and although his rambling usually gets on my nerves, I was happy for him. I told myself that I _had _to see the girl who's changing his life."

I nod, "I know what you mean. Kate's been over the moon for the past few days. When she's not talking to him on the phone, she's bothering me about him."

He grins, "So we'll suck it up and do it for them?"

I smile, "Yeah, it won't be that bad."

Smirking, he holds his elbow out towards me, "Together, then."

I wrap my arm around his and we walk together, catching up with Kate and Elliot.

When we get inside, the restaurant is warm and dimly light with handing chandeliers and shiny hardwood tiles across the floor. The hostess is waiting for us, dressed in a simple black dress and heels. After she confirms our reservation, we hand our coats and other belongings to the gentleman minding the coatroom.

For the first time, Christian gets a look at my outfit and I blush, looking down. I had almost forgotten about the blue material clinging to my slender body. The dress is snug around my breast, but loosens as it passes my waist and hips, traveling all the way down the length of my thighs. My long chestnut colored hair is flowing down to the center of my back in it's naturally big waves.

"You look beautiful, Miss Steele."

I try my best to seem unaffected by his compliment, but eventually after I smile in his direction, my face resembles a burning tomato. He pulls the chair out for me, like a gentleman, and gestures for me to sit down. Kate takes the seat beside me, and our dates sit across from us.

The table has long candles on top and napkins that are softer than the knitted quilt I sleep on. The spoons and forks are separated on either side of the plate, something I've only read about in books and seen in movies. There are empty wine glasses placed on the side of our plates and water glasses that are already filled with the icy cold liquid.

"Okay, so this is perfectly normal."

Everyone looks at Kate with raised eyebrows.

"What's perfectly normal?" Christian asks.

"Eating with your students," she smiles, "It's not that weird. On the bright side, at least we're close in age."

I peer at my professor who's sitting to the right of me. He glances at me too and my face turns pink.

Finally, the waiter comes to the table with a black and white ensemble and heavy French accent, "Good evening and welcome to_Au Poivre_," the name rolls off his tongue expertly, "May I start with your drinks?"

"Yes, we'll take a bottle of the strongest wine you have," Christian demands. Everyone around the table has wide eyes and even the waiter looks a little taken back. But he nods and mentions that he'll be back shortly to take our order. When he's out of earshot, Christian continues, "We're going to need something to get us through the night."

* * *

"Dinner was delicious, thank you."

We're sitting in the car again, my stomach fuller than it's ever been in my life.

Christian beams at me, "Your welcome."

We've been driving for a couple minutes, and from what I've seen, I'm pretty sure we're headed back in the same direction as home. The traffic is a little lighter than before and the moon is out, shining above us. The car is warm and I can easily feel the heat traveling through my body.

Kate and Elliot are flirting in the back seat, I think I've even heard a kiss or two. He's teasing her playfully and she's laughing along. I really wish I knew how to turn the radio on, but all the buttons in the car look the same and I don't want to press the wrong thing. I now regret not stuffing my iPod in the miniature sized purse I brought along with me.

Christian clears his throat, his eyes never leaving the darkened road, "So where should I be headed to, Elliot?" From the tone of his voice and the clenching muscles in his jaw, I can tell that he also feels uncomfortable.

Kate's squealing stops and I hear their bodies shift.

"If you don't mind, Kate and I would like to go back to her place."

I gulp, _what about me?_

I'm contemplating different scenarios in my mind of how the rest of the night could be played out. While the happy couple are locked up in Kate's bedroom, making noise surely, I can do a number of things. My first option is to sit in my room, with my ear-buds stuck all the way in my ears, blasting some kind of upbeat tempo while reading a Jane Austen novel. My other option is to go to Jose's apartment and stay there long enough until the coast is clear.

Personally, I don't like either option.

I really won't feel comfortable being in the room right next door to my best friend while she and her boyfriend are _doing it_, and my friendship with Jose has been rocky ever since the night he tried to kiss me.

I groan to myself, either way it's a lose-lose situation for me and a win-win for Kate.

After twenty minutes of driving, we finally pull up in front of my apartment building. Kate and Elliot leap out of the car in record time and are headed for the door. I gape at them.

_Jeez, they must really be in the mood._

I haven't moved from my seat and my seat-belt is still intact. I glance towards the driver and he peers sideways at me.

"Well," he starts, "This has been an interesting night."

I look down at my twiddling fingers, "I guess I should go inside, you probably want to get home."

Christian scoffs, "I doubt you want to go in there. And plus, I have to stay close by, I'm Elliot's ride. That idiot thinks I'm his chauffeur or something."

"Oh."

"We could go for a walk and kill some time," he suggests.

I smile shyly and nod.

He shuts off the car and we step out into the moonlight.

My shoes feel rickety against the concrete and my head feels a little faint as the cool breeze hits me. _That'll be all the wine._ I'm not a heavy drinker, so whenever I do have alcohol, it affects me more than others. I pull my scarf closer to my neck as we start off down the block. I'm sure it's almost midnight by now, and there's no one out in the streets.

"You look beautiful."

My cheeks turn pink, but it's camouflage under the darkness, "That's the second time in one night, Mr. Grey. I feel honored," I place my hand over my heart in exaggeration.

"And I shall tell you a hundred more times before the night is over. And please, Miss Steele, call me Christian."

"Okay _Christian_, call me Ana."

"Sure, _Anastasia."_

Something in my stomach turns as my name rolls off his tongue. A warmth fills my chest and the rest of my body is tingling. _I love the way my name sounds coming from his mouth_. I'm smiling, and my cheeks hurt, but I just can't stop.

"Tell me something about yourself," he insists.

I flush. I don't really enjoy talking about myself, "We'll I'm twenty-one years old, I'm a stude-"

"No, tell me something I don't know."

I'm a very boring person that likes to read old British novels on my spare time, what could he possibly find interesting about me? Gulping, I rack my brains, "Uh, okay, let's see... Well, people say that I'm a good cook..."

He raises an eyebrow at me, "Really?"

I nod, "I don't know where I get it from because both my mom and my step-dad are horrible cooks. Well with my mom, it's either a hit or miss and with my step-dad, he's just lucky he knows how to work a microwave. And I usually do all the cooking for me and Kate; she can barely pour her own cereal."

"You'll have to cook for me one day," he suggests.

I grin, "Sure."

"What about tomorrow night?"

I'm confused, "Hmm?"

"Make dinner for me, tomorrow night. You can come by my place and it'll just be us. No Elliot and no Kate."

That sounds nice, really nice. But me? Alone with Christian? My throat goes dry and I don't know what to say. His gray eyes are drilling into me for an answer, but I don't give him one. Instead, I'm debating in my head between what is morally right and what I feel is right. Morally, he's my teacher and I shouldn't have went to dinner with him in the first place. But what I feel... is completely different. All week at school, I was daydreaming about being alone with him. Are my fantasies about to come true?

"Oh Anastasia, you and that lip," he stops walking and I halt in my spot too. My gaze doesn't leave his face as his thumb trails to my mouth. I close my eyes and feel him trace the smooth skin gently, rubbing my lower lip. The feeling of his finger so close to me, so close to my tongue... something in my lower stomach aches. A feeling that I've never experienced before. It takes all my strength to keep my tongue in my mouth and not graze it over his thumb.

Suddenly, my eyebrows ruffle as I feel soft droplets falling into my closed eyes. I open them to see Christian, he has his head bent, looking up at the sky. I do the same.

It's snowing.

The white flakes are falling more rapidly now.

They're descending onto our coats and getting tangled in Christian's hair.

"Wow," I sigh. The sight is beautiful. And at this moment, I'm not sure if I'm talking about the snowy scenery or Christian's angelic and peaceful expression under the flakes.

I feel him leaning down, easing his way down to me, and I close my eyes again. His cold breath is on my face and I know he's just inches away. Our nose meet and rub against each other and my heart is about to flutter right out of my chest. _What is going on?_ His lips are close and they slowly, achingly, brush against mine. With my brain on overdrive, I lean up to deepen the kiss. Suddenly, I don't feel anything anymore. I open my eyes to see Christian pulling away.

I open my eyes, "Wha-?"

He places his hands on my shoulders to both steady me and distance himself, "This is wrong, Anastasia."

_You leaned in to kiss me first!_

I look down, "Because I'm your student?"

"No," he shakes his head, "Because I don't want to hurt you."

* * *

**I love all the reviews guys! You are the best readers I could ever ask for :) Let me know what you think about the chapter, I know the beginning was a little boring... hopefully the next one is more exciting ;)**

**- Kelly.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Crash Course:**  
**Chapter 5**

**(Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, only my original ideas belong to me.)**

* * *

My bed feels soft under my aching body.

I had quite a busy day yesterday with school in the morning, work in the afternoon and an interesting date in the evening. Ah, the date. The one with Mr. _Christian Grey_; my business professor. He showed up with his dashing dinner jacket and matching slacks, with his hair pushed back smoothly and his gray eyes hypnotizing me from just a glance. My insides turn as his handsome face floats into my mind, leaving goosebumps up and down my arms.

Rolling around on the cushioned blankets, I remember the way his eyes widened when he saw my dress for the first time. I blush into my pillow.

Suddenly, I'm recalling everything that happened last night and it all comes back to me. I shudder as I remember the sexual tension between Kate and Elliot all throughout dinner and the very lengthy car ride. The funny thing is that they didn't even try to hide it, they wanted it each other so bad and they didn't care who knew. I laugh to myself, wondering how someone could be so sexually aroused in front of other people.

Taking my face out of my pillow, I glance to the large window off to the side of my bed. I notice that it's snowing outside from the distance I can see bare trees being covered in a soft white blanket. It's beautiful.

The falling snow reminds me of last night and the smile fades off my face slowly.

In my head, I relive the short nanosecond when Christian's lips ever so lightly brushed against mine. His lips were warm and soft on my mouth and it was all so unexpected. The whole time I figured he was just being nice to me because I was his student... I didn't know he actually _liked_ me. At that moment, I leaned up to kiss him back... to deepen the kiss. I needed him and I wanted his lips on mine, I wanted to close the gap between us and wrap my arms around him. _But he pulled away; he didn't want me. He said he didn't want to hurt me..._

There's a soft, squishy, over-sized panda on my bed. I pull it close to me and squeeze it tightly with both my arms. It's soft, with a plushy material and has a cute little button nose and black marble eyes. Ray had gotten it for me at a carnival when I was twelve. It's really the only thing here that reminds me of home.

I feel embarrassed. Maybe I had been delusional all along.

My phone rings.

Regretfully, I reach from under the blankets and retrieve the device from my bedside table. I frown when I don't recognize the number flashing on the screen, but answer the call anyway, "Hello?"

"Anastasia."

"Christian?"

Suddenly it feels weird to say his name, I have the urge to address him professionally but I shake it off. His voice is smooth over the phone and something inside of me tingles. The tingling sensation reminds me that I still have feelings for him; _honestly, they never went away._

"I was wondering if you'd still like to come by my place today."

I gulp.

"Last night you told me that you're a great cook... please don't back out on me now," he pleads, and I can only imagine the look he has in his eyes. I can picture him running his long fingers through his messy hair in frustration.

"But last night... you told me-"

"I know," he breathes into the phone, "But after I got home, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I barely got any sleep. I _need_ to see you again, Anastasia. Please."

My heart is thumping and I'm afraid that it'll leap right out of my throat. _He needs to see me again? He couldn't stop thinking about me?_ No guy has ever spoken these words to me before. This is definitely a first. All of the saliva in my mouth has gone and the only thing I can hear is the harsh beating of my own heart against my chest. He's speaking to me as if we knew each other for years... is it possible that he has the same exact feelings for me that I have for him?

"I don't know what to say," I admit.

"Say that you'll come over."

Centuries pass, but he remains silent.

I bite down on my lip and squeeze my eyes shut, "Okay, I'll come over."

"Great, do you want me to pick you up? It's quite a long drive."

"No," I shake my head, although he can't see me, "I'll drive. Just text me the address."

Seconds later, I hop into a hot shower. I let the steam rise around me as I wash my hair, scrub my face and shave off the stubble of hair on my underarms and legs. I'm not satisfied until I rinse all the foamy shampoo out of my hair and my body smells of sweet grapefruits.

Back in my room, I dry myself and get dressed in a pair of tight blue jeans, a black v-neck sweater and tall black snow-boots.

I leave a quick note on the fridge for Kate; explaining that I'll probably be out for the whole day and not to worry about me. But I shrug, knowing that she'll probably call or text me when she wakes up anyway. I grab my car keys from the kitchen table, my purse and throw on the same black pea coat from last night.

At the coat rack I notice Elliot's suit jacket hanging on it and I ruffle my eyebrows. _He must have spent the night. Explains why Kate's not up early as usual._

* * *

My powder blue Volkswagen is waiting for me outside.

It's beat up, scratched on the sides and is help up by four old tires. She looks like something that would belong in the 1950's and honestly, that was probably the prime of her life. Nowadays, Wanda mostly gets laughed at when I take her out onto the road, but I love her just the way she is. She was a gift from Jose's parents, and she has been nothing but loyal to me for the past three years.

As the car warms up, I read the text message Christian sent me. It's his address with the zip code and all_. _

_Holy Cow! _

He can't- He can't possibly live in Seattle!

I use the GPS on my phone and type in the address to get the directions; soon realizing that it's going to be about a two hour drive. Groaning into my steering wheel I bang my head lightly in frustration; _why did I agree to this? _I crank up the radio to try and make the trip bearable. Honestly, I hate traveling long distances alone.

Eventually I get over the frustration of the long car ride and begin thinking about the man who's apartment I'm driving to. The thought of him makes me tingle inside from my head all the way down to my toes. The newest Usher song is blasting in the car, and I sing along because it's so catchy and also because the falling snow makes me feel giddy. After about an hour of driving, I stop by a supermarket in Olympia to buy the necessary ingredients for dinner.

It's rather crowded inside and I need to squeeze my way through the aisles to get what I need. I grab a basket and manage to load it with tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers and carrots. From the meat section, I grab a nice package of boneless chicken. I find a small bag of rice and decide to get that too.

The line at the register is ridiculous but eventually I'm able to purchase all the items.

I climb back into the cold Volkswagen and continue down the road designated by the GPS.

My mind is on overdrive as I speed through the highways and local streets of Washington. I make my way out of Olympia and into another district without stopping with the exceptions of redlights. _What am I doing? _Am I really going to hang out with my professor and cook him dinner? How inappropriate is this?! I barely know him. Actually, the only thing I do know about him is his name. That's it.

_And that he's hot and muscular and his lips feel so good... _I shudder as something tingles between my legs. Gulping, I keep my eyes on the road and turn up the radio so that I can be distracted by the melodies of today's latest pop music.

I'm driving for about another hour until I reach a parking garage underneath a very tall and expensive looking apartment building. I circle around until I find a nice spot before parking the car. While retrieving the bags from the trunk, I spot Christian coming out of the elevator from the corner of my eye. He strides over casually and helps me carry the bags like a gentleman. It's not much, but the rice is heavy.

He's wearing a pair of soft black pants, that of course hang loosely from his broad hips, and a cotton white linen shirt with long sleeves rolled up at the elbows. Looking completely relaxed, his hair is pushed back in it's usual state and there's a small stubble around his face.

"You didn't have to buy the groceries, I could have gotten them for you," he points out.

I shrug and smile as the elevator door slides open and we climb in. It's warm in here and I'm not sure that's why my cheeks turn pink.

"How did you know I was out here?"

He smiles effortlessly, "I have cameras upstairs."

My mouth forms the shape of an "O".

"Which floor do you live on?"

"The penthouse," he replies, leaning over so that he can enter the passcode. It's quite a long series of random numbers and after the fourth one I lost count.

Seconds later, we're slowly moving upward to the very top floor of the skyscraper and I feel jittery inside as the noise in my ears are blocked out from the pressure of the elevator. Finally we reach the top floor and the door slides open again to reveal a handsome foyer. There's a small coatroom off to the side and table with a rather large flower pot. The door to the apartment is open and he ushers me in. "You'll have to excuse the lack of furniture. I'm still in the process of moving in."

I notice it now, there's only a large couch in the living room, sitting in front of a large crackling fireplace and instead of a kitchen table, there's a breakfast bar with three stools. While glancing towards the living room, I notice a grand piano in the center of the room, and a large window taking up the entire wall. It's still snowing, a little more rapidly than before, and it looks beautiful against the Seattle skyline.

"I didn't know you lived so far from WSU."

"Oh, I just moved out here," he admits, "I used to live around Vancouver."

"Do you drive two hours to work every day?"

He shakes his head as he brings the grocery bags into the kitchen, "I stay at the Heathman Hotel from Monday through Thursday, and here at my new penthouse on the weekends."

"Wow," I exclaim, "Professors make a lot more money than I thought."

He chuckles but doesn't say anything.

I walk deeper into the apartment, passing the bright kitchen and straight into the living room. In front of the large couch is a burning fireplace containing bright flames. It smells lusciously of pine as I get closer; the scent reminds me of the fires Ray use to build when we went camping together. I smile to myself, making a note in my head that I should give him a call later.

"You want something to drink?"

My eyes remain on the flames, "Sure, thanks."

He comes back seconds later holding two glasses of a deep burgundy liquid.

"Wine?" He gestures the cup towards me and I nod, accepting it. I take a sip and it's smooth and thick down my throat. It's bitter and fruity at the same time and kind of reminds me of the wine from last night. He smiles down at me, "Do you like it?" I nod and he takes my hand, "Sit with me."

I join him on the large comfortable couch and he places our drinks on the side table. The huge window shows a snowy scenery but no sunlight passes through; the only light comes through the fireplace. Folding my legs underneath me, I lean back in the seat comfortably.

"Tell me something about yourself," I smile.

He tilts his head to the side for a moment before grinning, "Well, I'm twenty-six years old, a prof-"

"No," I giggle, "Tell me something I don't know."

But I flush because I didn't realize he was that young.

"Okay, I'll tell you something I haven't told anyone. Not even my family," he pauses, turning to face the fire, "I started my own business."

"What?" I ruffle my eyebrows, "That's great, why haven't you told your family?"

"Because my parents- my father mostly, he always wanted me to finish graduate school and have a great career. He was over the moon when he found out I was a professor...I really don't want to do anything to disappoint him. Not now."

"But?"

"But I love it, Ana, I love the feeling of running my own business. Everything's still new, I'm just signing a bunch of papers and going to meetings, but soon everything will be up and running. So I moved out here so that I could be closer to the city- you see that building over there?" he points to something through the window, "The one with the slanted roof?"

I squint my eyes and nod.

"I just bought three floors for Grey Enterprises Holding," he smiles boyishly.

"Wow," I breathe.

"Next week I'm having a dinner party to promote the company, I'd like you to come."

I picture myself in a ballgown, sipping champagne with rich old men.

"I'd love to."

"Great," he hands me my glass of wine and we drink together, "What time would you like to start dinner?"

I look down at my watch and notice that it's only two o'clock, "I guess I can start cooking at five."

"Well that gives us plenty of time."

"Time for wh-"

His lips come crashing down on mine and I almost spill the wine all over us. His mouth is soft on mine and I melt under his touch as his arm sneaks it's way behind me and pulls me closer. My chest is against his chest and I feel something tingling inside me as his tongue brushes against mine. I moan into his mouth just as he pulls away. We're both panting from the kiss, "Oh Anastasia, what are you doing to me?"

My face reddens, "What?"

I put my wineglass down on the table.

He's watching me intently with is harsh gray stare.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you last night," he strokes the side of my face, feeling the hair that frames it, "You're making me feel all these things that I've never felt before," he points to his chest, "It hits me right here whenever I see you or hear your laugh. You're always on my mind and I want to be next to you all the of time."

_Gulp._

"Please tell me I'm not the only one feeling this," he pulls me onto his lap. He buries his head in the nape of my neck and I could feel the stubble from his chin graze my pale skin. I try my best to remain cool, calm and unaffected by his physical touch.

"Last night... you told me that you didn't want to hurt me," I frown, "What did you mean?"

He trails his finger down from my face to my collarbone, "You're so delicate, and soft," he kisses a patch of skin on my throat, "Sometimes I can get... carried away. Rough. Commanding. A little abusive."

I wince at his words, "You hurt people?"

He shakes his head, "Not in the way that you think. I don't do it on purpose, it's just the way I am in my head. When I'm in bed with someone... I'm abrasive and harsh. I don't know how to stop, I just get carried away."

"So, you're worried that you'll hurt me during sex?" I gulp. _I just met this guy a week ago, and he's already thought about having sex with me?!_

"I know for a fact that I'll hurt you during sex," he admits. I can sense a faint of a smile on his face, and I wonder if he finds this humorous. For a moment I have the feeling that he's proud of being stronger than me, especially when it comes to being together _intimately_.

"I've never had sex before."

I peek at him from the corner of my eye, but his facial expression is unreadable.

"What?" His voice is a whisper, like if he doesn't understand.

Shrugging, I nibble on my bottom lip nervously.

His eyes are wide, "But you're so beautiful, and your body is... amazing, and you're funny and the nicest person I've ever met. How can you possibly be a virgin?"

Looking away from him, I sigh, "It just never happened, I guess."

He runs his hands through his hair, "Then I really can't... I'll destroy you even if I try..."

Noticing the look on his face and tone in his voice, I begin to climb off his lap.

"Do you want me to leave?"

His face looks strained and puzzled, "No," he pulls me closer, "I don't want you to go."

Suddenly my phone vibrates from my purse and I leap away from Christian before he has the chance to pull me any closer. I find it on the kitchen counter and notice the number flashing on the screen.

"It's my boss," I say out loud, feeling him standing behind me.

"Hello?"

"Ana, dear!"

"Mrs. Clayton, is everything okay?"

"I just want to tell you that the store will be closed tomorrow, so don't come in for your afternoon shift."

"But, why? Is Mr. Clayton okay?"

"Everyone's fine dear, but didn't you hear about the storm? It's supposed to be the biggest blizzard of the decade! Over forty inches of snow is expected tonight. Most of the highways are blocked off already. The mayor issued an emergency statement, he says that everyone should stay indoors for the remainder of the weekend. Those winds can be brutal, dear."

"Oh wow, thanks for letting me know. I had no idea."

"No problem dear, now you stay safe and I'll see you after the storm calms down."

I hang up the phone and turn to Christian, "Did you know about this huge snowstorm? Apparently it's been all over the news."

His eyes widen, "No, I don't have my TV installed yet."

Looking up at him nervously, I cross my arms over my chest.

"I guess I'm stuck here for the whole night."

* * *

**This wasn't my best work, I kind of rushed through it. But how do you guys feel about Ana staying over for the night? Exciting right?**

**Keep the reviews coming, I love them.**

**- Kelly.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Crash Course:**  
**Chapter 6**

(Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, only my original ideas belong to me.)

* * *

"Do you live alone?"

We're on the couch again, with my feet resting on his lap and my head leaning against an overly comfortable cushion. His hands play with my toes but his eyes face the burning pine and rising flames in the mantel. I try to follow his gaze, but it's impossible to tell what's on his mind. He looks far and distant, I just want to reach out and hold him.

He nods eventually, "I used to live with Elliot in Vancouver, but I figured it was time to get a place of my own. And I needed to be somewhere closer to my new company." He looks off into the distance as if he's remembering something that happened long ago. I watch him for a while, fascinated by his handsome chiseled jaw and other facial features. I follow his gaze out of the window, and I realize he's looking at the tall skyscraper he pointed out earlier today. The building reminds me of a Christmas tree in the darkness with all the illuminated windows in neat rows and columns.

"Wow, I still can't believe that you're running your own business."

Smiling, he tickles my feet, "I still need to hire some staff, you know. I'd like you to fill out an application."

I gulp, "I don't think so."

"What? Why not?"

"Because it's awkward enough that I'm your student, I don't want to be your employee too!"

He chuckles for a moment and I smile at his reaction; after a few minutes his face turns serious, "Speaking of being a student, you probably shouldn't mention to anyone that we've been hanging out, not even Kate."

"Oh?"

"Mhmm," he gets closer, "And you probably shouldn't tell people that we do this either," he gives me a peck on the lips and I grin under him. He pulls away slightly but I can still feel his lips moving above mine, "Is it okay that I'm kissing you? If you feel uncomfortable you can just tell me to stop."

"No," I whisper, reaching up, I stroke the side of his face where I can feel the roughness of his light facial hair and smooth skin underneath. I pull his face closer and close the tiny gap between us. Eventually his tongue finds its way between my lips and rubs against mine. It's warm, sensual and something tightens in my lower stomach.

For the first time in my life, a small moan leaves my mouth.

Christian stops and looks down at me, "I want to know you, Anastasia. I want to know every single thing about you..."

"I'll tell you anything you want to know," I push him off me lightly, "While I'm cooking dinner."

His eyes widen, "I can watch you?"

I laugh, "Of course, if you want to."

He nods boyishly and I can't help but grin as he follows me into the kitchen. I tie my hair up in a loose bun and wash my hands as Christian takes a seat at the breakfast bar. He has his chin in his hands and is watching me intensely as I make my way around the kitchen. I start off by chopping all of the vegetables and slicing the chicken in cube shaped pieces. Seasoning it off with garlic and other spices, I mix it with fresh tomatoes over a medium fire. As it's cooking, I turn to work on the rice next.

"I like watching you cook," Christian admits, "You look very relaxed."

When I glance over at him, I notice that he has both of our wine glasses on the counter along with a dark, slim bottle with a fancy foreign language written on the label. I'm pretty sure that it's French, and it reminds me of the wine we drank last night at dinner.

"What are you thinking about?" He takes a small sip from his glass.

I hesitate, "Um, about dinner last night."

"Ah, yes. You looked so beautiful _Anastasia_, in that blue dress. The way it hugged your body, and the color looked gorgeous against your skin," he walks around the breakfast bar so that he's within arms reach of me, "Do you know how many times I wanted to run my fingers through your long hair last night?"

His eyes are intimidating and I look down away from him.

"Don't be shy," he puts a finger under my chin and lifts my face up, "Don't hide from me."

He kisses my lips lightly but I step back, "If you do that, dinner will never get done."

"I would choose you over dinner anytime," he smiles jokingly and I slap him on the arm playfully. He goes back to his seat, "So, you said I can get to know you while you cook. So, I guess I'll start," he clears his throat dramatically, "Tell me about your parents."

I continue to simmer the chicken and vegetables over the fire, "Well my real father passed away when I was very little, but I was raised by my step-dad Ray and my mom. But then they separated when I was just starting high school. She got remarried a couple times after, but I always considered Ray to be my father. I even carry his last name."

He nods, pouring himself some more wine. My glass still remains full.

"Tell me about _your_ family."

"Well you've met Elliot already, my idiot older brother. I have a younger sister named Mia. She's kind of a spoiled brat and she'd love you, but then again she loves everything. My mom's a doctor and my dad's a lawyer. My mom's pretty cool most of the time, but my dad can get pretty strict every now and then. I'd like you to meet them one day."

My eyes widen and my hand freezes above the pot, "What?"

He shrugs.

"How can you want me to meet your family? You just met me last week."

Sighing, he places his head in his hands, "I don't know Ana, all week I couldn't stop thinking about you... Before class, during class, after class... You have been invading my mind. The day you wore that purple shirt, the day you couldn't stop biting your lip. God, you drove me crazy. And then last night... in that dress. On a date! Our kiss in the snow... I don't know what to do with myself anymore."

He's running his fingers through his hair roughly and I gulp at the sight of him. I'm pretty sure my face is beet red, and I'm not sure how many more speeches like this I can handle.

"I've been thinking about you all week too," I admit, "At first I thought it was just a stupid crush... but after you kissed me last night..."

I don't finish my sentence and I don't think I have to.

He's smirking at me, and I wish I had the guts to lean over the breakfast bar to kiss him. I control myself and turn back to the pot.

"So what made you want to be a teacher?" I ask.

"It seemed like the easiest career at the time, I don't necessarily enjoy it. I graduated with my degree when I was twenty-two, and by the time I turned twenty-four, I knew I wanted to be doing something different. Two years later, here I am."

"Did you always know that you wanted to start a business?"

"Should I be the one asking _you_ questions?" He quirks his eyebrow, "And no, I didn't always know that I wanted to start my business. But as I was growing up I realized that I didn't like the idea of someone being the boss of me. So I guess I channeled that feeling into wanting to be the boss of my own company. So that I won't have to listen to anyone; instead people would have to listen to me."

"Wow," I breathe, "So you like control."

He tilts his head to the side, "Yes, I do. Very much."

I flush, "So what else do you want to know about me?"

For the next half an hour, he continues to drill me with questions about both my past and present;_ How many boyfriends have you had growing up? How long have you worked at Clayton's? Did you know that your friend Jose is in love with you? _As he goes on and on, the questions start to become more personal, but it doesn't make me feel uncomfortable around him. If anything, it draws me closer and I can somewhat start to understand his personality as the night proceeds. The snow continues to fall rapidly and the sky grows darker with every passing minute.

"Looks like the food's ready," I note.

He gets a pair of white shiny plates from the cabinet above the sink and loads them with the cooked rice and chicken stew with vegetables. Instead of eating at the breakfast bar, we move back to the couch and in front of the fire. It's crackling and warm with the scent of fresh burning wood.

The stew smells heavenly, it tastes rich and a little spicy- just the way I like it. It's also warm and feels good going down as I watch the falling snow through the large window.

"This is delicious," Christian exclaims, "Can I hire you as my personal chef?"

I giggle.

"I'm serious! I don't remember the last time having a home cooked meal that tastes this good."

My face manages to blush a million different shades of red as we continue through the course of our meal. He entertains me with stories of his coworkers and different weird scenarios he's been in. For a moment I'm glad that there's no television in the room or anything that could distract me from him. I'm lost in his world as he fascinates me with adventures he went on with Elliot when they lived together and the different parties his parents throw to raise money.

Apparently his family is rich. That would explain his style in cars and apartments.

Our empty dishes are in the sink, but we're laying on a soft Persian rug in front of the fire.

"Are you cold?"

"No," I answer, even though I'm shivering through my black sweater. The flames are still strong, but so are the cold winds outside. He gets up to raise the temperature on the thermostat and comes back down on the rug holding a soft fleece blanket. It's big enough to cover both of our bodies as we lay under it.

It's warm, very warm and as he draws my body closer to his, I could feel the heat rise from my neck. "Thank you," he whispers, and I look at him questioningly, "I just want to thank you for taking a chance with me even though I acted like I didn't want you last night. I was just trying to protect you, but I guess it didn't work out. I want to be with you, Anastasia."

He leans down and kisses me gently.

My lips linger on his for a while, "I want to be with you too."

Somehow, I pluck up my courage and look him in the eyes. He looks satisfied and content with himself.

"I still don't want to hurt you," he admits.

"You won't," I peer straight at him, "If you truly care about me, like the way you say you do, then you won't hurt me."

He's so close that I feel his shaky breath on the side of my face and I can almost hear the thuds of his heart beating. I've never been this intimate with a guy before, but I can't help but notice the knotting feeling below my stomach. I feel moist in the crotch of my tight jeans and a familiar tingling sensation radiates throughout my body.

_Oh my_, am I turned on?

I close my eyes as he kisses the side of my neck and I allow my fingers to run through his messy hair. His teeth graze my skin as he trails from my neck to my collarbone, where he sucks on the tight flesh. I moan and my whole body feels like it's on fire. His mouth is moving further south and it eventually meets the soft fabric of the v shaped neckline. He moves it to the side a little as he kisses the delicate cleavage underneath.

My body is out of control and I try to squirm away from the intensity.

"Ana, has anyone ever kissed you here?"

His lips are so close to the rim of my bra and I'm scared that my heart is going to leap out my throat. I shake my head as best as I can to answer his question.

"Good," he says, sucking on the skin lightly. When his mouth pulls away, the paleness of my flesh is now pink.

He tackles my lips again, but this time the kiss isn't gentle at all; his tongue finds mine hungrily and his teeth graze against it.

Suddenly I'm hot and I think Christian could read my mind because he's pulling on the bottom hem of my sweater. Gulping, I allow him to lift the material over my head so that I'm left in a bra and jeans under the blanket. Although there is heat radiating through my body, a chill takes over my bare shoulders. He's watching me, and I'm glad I decided to wear my only decent black lacy bra today with the matching underwear.

His long fingers toy with the straps over my shoulder as he continues to kiss and suck on the tender skin. I moan and wriggle from under him, not able to control the desires and hormones raging through my body. My feet won't stay still and strange sounds are coming out of my mouth.

"Is this too much for you?" He whispers against my skin. I don't know what to say because no guy has ever touched me or kissed me there before. No guy has ever seen me topless either. I don't exactly feel uncomfortable, I just don't know how to react. It feels good, really good and I definitely don't want him to stop.

I shake my head and I can feel him smile.

He slowly releases my bra from the back and I feel totally exposed. My nipples have swelled from both the cool air and my arousal. I cross my arm over my chest, attempting to cover myself away from him. A sound resembling a growl leaves his mouth, "No Anastasia, don't hide from me. I want to see you."

I close my eyes and remove my arm so that I'm completely naked and uncovered from the waist up.

Seconds pass and I know that he's staring at me, but I keep my eyes shut.

"Ana, I'll be right back, I just want to get something. You stay just like that, okay?"

I feel him getting up from the soft rug and nod because my throat feels too dry to say anything. When he walks away, the only thing I can hear is the crackling of the fire nearby and the strong winds from outside.

He returns, and lowers himself down beside me again. As I'm about to open my eyes, he slips a silky material over my face. I'm confused, then I realize...

_He's blindfolding me!_

"Don't worry, I'm going to make you feel very good. And if you ever want me to stop, just let me know."

He kisses me tenderly on the lips before I have the chance to answer. While he continues to kiss my mouth, his thumb runs over one of my hardened nipples. He squeezes it lightly and I shiver in pleasure. His tongue is rubbing against mine and his finger is massaging the most sensitive part of my breast.

He moves over to the other, and squeezes that one too.

With every touch, a jolt is shooting down below my waist.

Soon, his mouth trails down from my lips, to my chin, to my collarbone and soon enough down to the pink flesh of my nipples. He's licking them and sucking on them gently as I run my hands through his hair. The feeling is purely electrifying, I love having his hands and mouth all over my body.

"Can I take your pants off?" He whispers.

I hesitate for a moment before nodding.

He slips them down my legs while simultaneously placing soft kisses on my thighs and knees. It tickles and I smile at his touch. I'm moist when he touches me on the outside of my underwear. My breath is running up and down irregularly because I don't know where he's going to kiss or touch me next.

"I should stop, right?" He whispers. His voice is deep and husky making me weak in the knees.

I shake my head and feel around for his face, "No, please."

He kisses my fingers when they find his lips but doesn't answer back. Seconds later I feel the last piece of material sliding down my legs. I choke on my saliva, not expecting to be so naked in front of him; although I just met him, I feel like I've known him for so long.

A moan escapes my lips and my back arches above the soft rug when his finger glides along my moistness. Somehow my hand finds his messy hair and I pull on it lightly. His thumb circles around the sensitive area and I cry out in pleasure, _how can this possibly feel so good? _He keeps at it for a while and I feel the familiar tightening sensation in my lower stomach.

When I'm wet enough, he slowly slips his pointer finger inside and I can feel him watching my face. There are goosebumps all along my body as his finger eases out and back in again. Suddenly there's a second finger and it hurts more than before, but he simultaneously strokes the sensitive part again and soon the pain subsides. I feel something building inside of me, and after a few gentle thrusts of his fingers I feel an exploding feeling as I release myself on him.

My body is shaking from the intensity and I can feel him wrap both his arms and the soft blanket around me. He kisses me softly on the side of my face, "You are so beautiful when you come. Next time I'd like to see your eyes."

He removes the silk tie from around my head and tosses it to the side. I blink my eyes a couple times until they adjust to the darkness around us. The only light is coming from the fireplace which illuminates off of me and gives my skin a rosy glow. I rest my head against his broad chest, still well aware that I am fully naked with him. He pulls me closer and I feel something hard against my leg.

I blush, "What about you?"

He ruffles his eyebrows.

"Don't you want to feel good too?" I lower my hand to the bulge in his pants, but he stops me before I get the chance to touch him.

His lips reach my forehead, "Maybe another time. You're not quite ready for that yet. Do you want to go to sleep? We can go up to my bed."

"No," I mumble against his neck, "I want to stay right here."

The blanket shifts and I can feel the warmth of the fire of my naked back as my eyes drift close.


	7. Chapter 7

**Crash Course:**  
**Chapter 7**

(Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, only my original ideas belong to me.)

* * *

The next morning, I awaken from the pouring sunlight through the curtained windows. The first thing I notice is that I'm no longer laying on the soft Persian rug, instead I'm on something way more cushioned and comfortable. Eventually, my eyes flutter open and adjust to the brightness and unfamiliar surroundings of the room I'm in. It's a light, airy bedroom with pale blue walls and white furniture. The bed is huge, with thick, clean sheets and the same quilt I was draped in last night.

_This must be Christian's bedroom..._

My cheeks redden as I recall the events from last night... his lips on mine, his hands on my body, _in_ my body...

Goosebumps appear all over me as I mentally relive the trembling feeling of my release when he thrusted his fingers in and out of me. _God_, it was the most amazing feeling I have ever experienced... My body felt like it was on fire every time his lips touched my breast and sucked on the soft pink flesh. I shudder and sit up on the bed. When the sheets fall down to my waist, I notice that I'm still completely naked. I look down at my nipples as they harden from being exposed to the cold air. I pull the sheets back to my body, but freeze when I spot a note on the bedside table.

_Ana, Good morning, I hope you slept well. I went out to buy something for breakfast, I don't know how long I'll be out. Help yourself to a nice, warm shower and to any clothes of mine. See you soon, Christian._

* * *

The water is warm down my back, and although he doesn't have my favorite grapefruit scented bodywash, his soaps and shampoos smell just as great. Steam fills the glass walls of the shower and from under the water, I realize just how sore my body is from last night. My back and shoulders hurt when I stand up straight and the muscles in my stomach feel weak. I lather myself with a fancy bodywash, starting from my sore shoulders and work my way down. I run my fingers over my nipples and they harden under my touch. They feel tender but a familiar jolt runs through me as I lightly squeeze them. A low moan escapes my lips as I do it again, twirling the stiffened pink skin between my fingers.

I look down at them and notice how elongated they are and I'm turned on by the sensation of touching myself.

I close my eyes, tilt my head back and remember the way Christian's lips sucked on them as I continue to roll them between my fingers. Something warm tingles between my thighs and my breath stops as continue to pleasure myself. Biting softly on my lower lip, my hands slide down my wet body and straight to my core. I part my legs and begin to rub myself before letting out another quiet moan. I place one hand on the shower door for support as I place a finger inside myself. Thankfully, the sound of the pouring water hitting the tiled shower floor disguises the noises coming out of my mouth.

Slowly, I begin to mimic the way Christian touched me last night. My finger slides up and down between my folds, and despite the hot running water, I can feel my own juices building up inside me. I'm panting as I start to move my finger from left to right and then in a circular pattern, _the feeling is extraordinary. _I notice something forming inside of me and my body begins to shake. I don't stop until I cry out loudly in pleasure and I feel the the relief of my release running down the side of my leg. The intensity is too much and I pull my hand away and collapse on the wet wall behind me.

Minutes later I return to the bedroom with the fluffy towel wrapped around me and a look of embarrassment on my face. My cheeks are red as I glance quickly at myself in the large mirror that hangs above a handsome dresser. I have never, ever touched myself before... _is this normal?_

When I open the first drawer, the smell of fabric softener is noticeable as I eye the neatly folded rows of underwear. I smile while slipping on a soft pair of dark blue boxers with a plaid design. They fit me like shorts, but the elastic on the waistband forms to my body. In the drawer underneath, I find a plain gray t-shirt that fits a little baggy but the material feels nice against my bare breast.

* * *

"Good morning, Ana."

I walk into the kitchen to see the back of Mr. Christian Grey as he fumbles with something on the counter. He turns around a sends a smile and a wink straight at me. My knees feel weak and I smile in his direction before he turns back around. He looks as handsome as ever this morning, with his messy hair drooping in front of his forehead and his loose black pants and a fitted navy blue t-shirt. I notice the bitter smell of brewing coffee and the sweet smell of breakfast pastries.

"You look good in my clothes," he admits.

Flushing, I turn red as I remember what happened between us last night and the moment I had in the shower just a few minutes ago. I decide not to tell him about it, because I don't know if he'd care or not. I choose to remain quiet as I take a seat on one of the round stools.

"It stopped snowing about a couple of hours ago, but most of the main roads are still closed for precautions. Everything should be cleared in a few hours, but until then we should stay indoors. Anyway, the supermarket was closed, but the bakery was open for some reason. I hope you like muffins."

Suddenly, I wonder what time he must of woken up or if he had fell asleep at all. I was so exhausted last night that I didn't even wake up during the transformation of the rug on the floor to the nice comfortable bed. I'm brought back into reality as I hear Christian calling my name and I can feel his steel gray eyes boring a hole into me.

I nod, "Of course, I love muffins."

"You seem very distracted this morning," He smiles and places a small plate in front of me with a large blueberry muffin. My stomach growls loudly before I take a bite, _I didn't even notice how hungry I was.._. Soon, there's a mug of tea beside me and Christian's sipping a cup of coffee. I'm not sure how he knew that I preferred tea over coffee but I don't say anything about it. I'm pretty sure he's notice me drinking tea in class instead of coffee like the rest of the students.

He joins me at the breakfast bar and our legs rub against each other as we eat in silence.

I manage to finish the entire muffin and Christian beams at me while I sip on my tea.

"What do you want to do today?"

"I just want to be with you, if that's okay," he smiles.

I feel something warm in my chest and I break the eye contact between us. Looking down, I play with a strand of my hair, "Aren't you sick of me?"

A deep chuckles leaves his mouth, "Never, _Anastasia._"

I lean over bravely and kiss him. He holds the back of my head in place as he returns the surprise kiss. He smiles against my lips, "We could watch a movie."

I pull away from him slowly, "I thought you didn't have your TV set up yet."

"I don't, but I'm sure it'll only take a few minutes. Everything I need is over there," he gestures toward the stacked boxes in the foyer. Eying the boxes, I notice that they're all no bigger than 2 feet on all sides.

"Your TV is in one of those boxes?"

Christian laughs loudly and stands up from the stool, "No, just the wires and projector."

"Projector?"

He quirks his eyebrow, "Yeah, I kind of like what I use in school. Come, I'll show you," he holds his hand out for me and I don't hesitate before taking it and following him. He leads me from the kitchen, down a short hallway with a few closed doors on each side. He pauses in front of one of the doors and holds it open, allowing me to walk in before him, "Welcome to the TV room."

It's about the same size as the living room, but has no windows or a fireplace. Instead, there's dimmed lighting and a couple rows of big, soft cushioned couches. There's a large screen in the center of the wall and speakers on either side. As I walk further in, I realize that it reminds me of a miniature movie theater.

"This is... incredible."

He smiles at my amazement and gestures over to a shelf on the side, "You can pick out the movie," there are rows and rows of DVDs, "Ill go get the wires and stuff."

Christian leaves the room and I examine the many movies that he has available. I smile at titles like _Harry Potter _and _The Twilight Zone_. My eyes travel through the different genres, but I notice that he has mostly Action movies and almost no Comedies. I pull out the movie _Taken_ and read the synopsis on the back. I almost don't notice when Christian comes wafting back into the room holding one of the cardboard boxes, "That's a great movie, I've seen it with Elliot. Twice."

I look up at him and smile before catching a quick gaze of his gray eyes.

He disappears behind the screen and starts to mess with the wires from the box.

I examine the collection of movies once more before I decide to just go with the first one I picked. Plopping down on to the over-sized couch, I wait patiently for Christian to finish setting everything up.

"Ta-da!" He emerges from behind the screen minutes later just as it illuminates brightly, "So I got the DVD player on and the cable too. Did you choose a movie?" I nod and hold out _Taken_. He chuckles, takes it from my hand and pops it into the DVD player. Soon, the screen is showing the menu for the movie and Christian presses play with the remote control.

I lean my head on his shoulder as the movie starts and he wraps an arms around my small body.

"I like having you around," he kisses the side of my forehead, "I don't want you to go."

"I won't go," I smile.

"You say that now, but when the roads clear up, you'll be on your way home," he pouts.

My eyes soften, "Hey, at least you'll see me on Monday."

He shakes his head playfully, "Yeah, I'll see you in _school_ with a podium and three rows of students between us," he strokes the side of my face, "Oh _Anastasia_, what have you done to me? I don't know how I'm going to be able to concentrate in class when all I'll be thinking about is your soft lips," he leans down and kisses me roughly. Closing my eyes, I return the kiss and he pins me under his body.

I whimper under him.

"I won't be able to kiss you when we're in school," his lips rub against mine as he talks, "And I won't be able to touch you either."

I gasp as his hand sneaks through the bottom of the t-shirt and moves up toward my chest. His thumb strokes the already hardened and aroused breast as he trails kisses from my lips down to my chin. I cry out when he bites down on my jaw bone while simultaneously squeezing my nipple between two fingers. His lips find mine again and his tongue finds its way in. It swirls around rubs against mine in the warmth of my mouth.

He continues to pleasure me and I'm feeling that familiar build up from last night and in the shower this morning. My face is warm as I blush, remembering the way I touched myself while thinking about him. His grip on my nipples tighten and suddenly I feel hot all over. I pretend like his fingers have no affect on me as I trail my own hand down to his pants.

"Ana-"

"No, I want to," I plead as my hand grazes the bulge sticking out. We sit up, and this time, I'm leaning towards him.

He tries to shake his head but I kiss him hard on the lips to shut him up, _why is it that he can touch me all he wants but I can't touch him?_

Without anymore protests, I'm able to grab him through his soft black pants. He lets out a low moan that sounds more like grunting and I'm shocked by his reaction. I never knew that just by touching _it_ would make him feel good. I attempt to pull down his pants a little, but he stops me.

"You don't have to do this," he warns.

"I want to," I admit, kissing him hard on the lips. I use the kiss as a distraction while I slip his pants down far enough so that his member springs free. I place my hand around it as our lips part from each other. He closes his eyes and tilts his head back as I stroke his most sensitive body part. It feels warm in my hand and when I look down at it, I realize it's a lot bigger than I imagined. I notice that he likes it when I move my hand up and down, so I continue doing that.

I feel powerful and in-control as _I _pleasure _him._

I watch the way his eyes tighten and his lips part slightly with every moan/grunt that leaves him mouth. Feeling courageous, I lean down a little and swipe my tongue through the little fold on the top. One of his hands grabs onto my hair as the other grips onto the couch for support.

"Oooh, Ana," he breathes and I feel something tingling inside me.

My mouth is still on him as my hand continues to move up and down. I can barely hear the ass-kicking sounds of Liam Neeson in the background as my tongue continues to torture the tip of Christian's member. I can feel his eyes on me as he gently pushes my hair back and away from my face. His hand keeps my hair in place and I now feel totally exposed as my lips stay attached to his member.

_He's watching me!_

My face instantly turns red but I proceed with the tantalizing game of making him feel good.

Moments later, I shock him by replacing my hand with my throat as I insert most of him in my mouth. I glide him in and out, and his hips even move up a little to the rhythm. His moaning has stopped but I noticed that his breath is becoming shaky as he clenches onto my hair tighter. "I'm going to come, Ana," he roars with a loud grunt. His body begins to tremble, but I don't stop until a warm liquid leaks out of him and into my mouth. It tastes bitter and is hot as it slides down my throat quickly.

He's panting and out of breath, "Y-You don't have to swallow that."

_It's too late_, I gulp.

"Ana," he eyes me for a long time and I feel shy under his gray stare, "That was... amazing. Are you sure you're a virgin?"

He tilts his head to the side and I nod quickly. He pulls me close to his chest and kisses the top of my head. My face reddens because I don't know what came over me, I never _ever_ imagined myself doing anything like that. I look towards the TV so that he wouldn't see the embarrassed and shy look on my face. I notice that there's some kind of serious car chase scene and the sound effects are booming through the speakers.

Christian grabs the remote, "Do you want me to restart the movie?"

I nod once more and snuggle closer to him as he rewinds to the very beginning. Hopefully this time we can watch it without getting distracted.

* * *

**I'm soooo sorry for the late update. I've been so busy with school and work :/ I hope you guys don't hate me... and I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! How do you guys feel about the relationship between Ana and Christian? Do you guys think I'm rushing through the "sexy" scenes? Let me know how you feel in the reviews!**

**-Kelly.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Crash Course:**  
**Chapter 8**

(Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, only my original ideas belong to me.)

* * *

It was early Monday morning when I found myself back at work, starting a twelve hour shift to make up for lost time during the weekend. Classes were canceled for the day due to the blizzard, but Clayton's Hardware was open for business selling flashlights, shovels, ice-salt and other important merchandise. I was wearing my loose fitting Clayton's t-shirt, a tight pair of blue jeans and my go-to black military boots that withstood the snow and ice perfectly. My naturally straight hair was up in a lazy bun and a few stray tendrils framed my pale face.

The atmosphere at the store was light and airy, Mrs. Clayton kept me behind the register for the first couple hours while she and Mr. Clayton were around helping customers. A few familiar faces from school popped in to buy shovels, gloves and other things to get rid of all the snow. But I was taken back when Kate showed up, striding through the door, looking flustered and overworked.

"Ana!"

I was already looking straight at her when she yelled my name. A few people looked between us as she made her way to the counter and register.

"Anastasia Rose Steele! Where have you been for the past two days?! I have been so worried about you!"

Her purse slipped down from her shoulder to her elbow and the scarf that was wrapped around her neck heaved up and down as she breathed on to me. Her strawberry blonde hair was in a curly mess around her shoulders and there were slight bags under her eyes which she attempted to cover with concealer. There was not a doubt in my mind that Elliot was the cause for her lack of sleep; I'm sure he had kept her up all night.

"What are you talking about?" I sputtered, "I texted you."

"Yeah," she tilted her head to the side, "All you said was '_I won't be coming home tonight_'. How was I supposed to know if some sleazy guy kidnapped you and just texted me from your phone? Where have you been anyway?"

"I-I was with Ray," I lied, there was no way that I could tell her I spent the night with our Business professor. Christian made it clear that we were supposed to keep our _relationship_ a secret; meaning that no one could know. Not even Kate. Using Ray as a decoy was perfect, because he lived about an hour away and being stuck at his house sounded so realistic, "I went to visit him Saturday morning, but then the blizzard started during the afternoon. I had no choice but to stay overnight. Sorry, I know I should have called you yesterday."

She peered at me through squinted eyes, obviously not believing me. But there was a line building up in front of the register and she had no choice but to back away and fling her curly hair behind her. The way she looked at me made my heart leap, and for a moment I wondered if she called Ray last night looking for me. I shook my head and decided I was being crazy.

"This conversation is _not_ over. We'll finish this at dinner, we're having Chinese tonight. What time do you get out of work?"

"Seven," I answered while ringing up a customer's merchandise.

"I'll order around 6:30, you know how busy they get at night."

I nodded in her direction, and my heart stopped fluttering due to the massive lie. I continued working after she left, and eventually fell into the usual grove of things by the time the afternoon rolled by. I took an hour lunch break around one o'clock, sipping a cup of hot tea in the cafe across the street- the only other business open during the disastrous weather.

One of my favorite dog-eared, yellowing novels sat flat open on the table in front of me as I nibbled on an roasted almond scone. The cafe was surprisingly empty, it was usually filled with college students typing away on their laptops and finishing up homework. But this afternoon, it was unusually abandoned with the exception of a couple sitting in one of the booths in the back.

I almost choked on the hot tea as a body materialized in the seat across from me. Looking up at the person, I blinked several times to adjust my vision and my face blushed with embarrassment. Christian Grey sat across the round table, in one of his famously dashing suits with a deep plum tie loose around his neck. His hair was neatly shaped and looked nothing like how it was over the weekend.

"W-What are you doing here?" I clambered, reaching for a napkin to wipe the hot liquid that had fell down to my chin.

"Well," he started, "None of the staff warned me that classes were canceled today," he gritted his teeth, "So as not to waste an entire day, I decided to finish up some last minute work in my office and stopped by to get a cup of coffee before leaving."

"Oh," I mouthed, while attempting to flatten down the tendrils around my face with sweaty hands.

"Actually, I had a rough morning from the start. I woke up around six to find my bed empty with a note on my pillow. Want to explain that?" His voice dropped, but I was sure that the only other two people in the cafe couldn't hear him from 12 yards away. Before I got to answer, the barista stopped by and placed a mug of coffee in front of Christian before batting her lashes and smiling charmingly at him.

After she left, I gulped and wiped my moist palms on my jeans, "I didn't want to wake you up."

He clenched his jaw, "I thought I did something wrong. I though you didn't want to see me. I spent over an hour contemplating why you would just get up and leave without even consulting me first."

I shook my head, "I did want to see you, but then I got a call from Mrs. Clayton and she wanted me to be at work by 7. At first I decided to skip school all together, but then I found out it was canceled when I got here. Believe me, I haven't stopped thinking about you all morning," my cheeks went rosy, "I wish I could have spent yet another day cuddled up in your apartment."

"You're welcome to come back this weekend," he smiled devilishly.

I tugged on my bottom lip and noticed as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. I released my lip from my teeth immediately and cleared my throat, "I don't know... Kate's already suspicious about my whereabouts. I can't just disappear for another three days. She's going to wonder where I'm going."

"I'm sure I can get Elliot to distract her," he said simply, "I'll do anything to spend time with you again. When I saw that empty space on my bed, I felt something missing inside of me. I wanted you to be there, and I missed waking up next to you."

I smiled widely and something roared inside of me. For some reason, I glanced at the slim watch around my wrist and almost toppled over in my chair, "Oh, I have to get back to work," I threw my coat on over the maroon t-shirt and stood up at the table, "It was nice seeing you again, and I'll see you tomorrow morning, _Professor._"

He laughed, "But wait- what about this weekend?"

I buttoned up the coat, "I'll have to think about it."

* * *

The fog in the air was thick as I closed Clayton's glass door behind me and began to walk home. It was smoky and I could barely make out anything that was more than five feet in front of me or around me in all directions. My military boots clanked on the concrete sidewalk and I walked cautiously as to not slip on any ice. Most of the snow was already plowed by the garbage trucks and other plow machines, but skinny layers of ice was still apparent in front of closed businesses.

Eventually, I was making it closer to the apartment complex that I lived in, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being followed. Along with the sound of my feet hitting the floor, I noticed a heavy breathing coming from behind me. Turning my head, it was useless to see anything because the fog was so thick. Instead I just blinked a couple times but gave up.

My body was trembling and I was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the chill of the nighttime breeze. I gulped and took my cellphone out as a distraction, wishing that I had a missed call or an unread text. The light illuminated over my face and I soon found myself dialing a very familiar number subconsciously.

"Hello?"

His voice was deep yet playful and made something inside me feel warm, safe even.

"Jose, how's it going?"

"Ana? Hey, I haven't heard from you in a while. Glad to hear you survived the storm."

I heard a sound behind me and fastened my pace down the long stretch to the apartment complex's gate. Hearing Jose's voice had calmed something down inside of me, but I was still well aware of the stalker on my trail. Pulling my coat tighter to my body, I breathed into the phone, "Yeah, I'm walking home from work and just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Are you okay? You sound kind of shaky."

Contemplating my options, I whispered as I held the phone close to my mouth, "Jose, I think someone's following me."

"Wai- What? Are you serious, Ana? Okay okay I know what to do. Look around for a tree or some kind of building to hide behind. Let the person pass you, if he stops then that mean's he's following. If that happens, then you run as fast as you can. If he keeps walking, then you'll be able to get a good look at his face and assume that he's not following you."

I gulped and looked around at my surroundings. It was so foggy, but I managed to sidestep over between two buildings and hide in the small alley that was home to two large metal garbage cans. I bent over a little to conceal myself better as I heard the oncoming footsteps that had been following me since I left Clayton's. At first, it came as a long shadow that spilled over the dark ground, but then the figure came into view. It was a rather tall man, with shaggy hair and his hands tucked into his coat pockets. I gasped as I got a great look at his exposed face.

It was Jack Hyde.

I held my breath and I could barely register what Jose was saying on the other line. I shocked beyond belief as I watched him look around confused. He was definitely looking for me. Giving up, he shrugged and continued walking down the path towards the apartments. My back slid down the brick wall and I gripped the phone too hard.

"Ana?! Are you okay? What's going on?"

My eyes never left the back of my Literary Editing professor as his figure became smaller as he strolled down the road. I shook my head in disbelief, "Jose, it was Hyde! As in Jack Hyde, my professor! And he was definitely following me... when he couldn't see me anymore, he stopped and looked around. He was looking for me!"

"No fucking way. Hyde? What the hell is he doing near the student complexes?"

I shrugged but knew that Jose couldn't see me.

"Just wait a couple minutes before walking again. Do you want me to come get you?" He sounded panicked and even though his dorm building was five minutes away, I knew he'd get here in like thirty seconds.

I shook my head, "No. I'm almost at the gates right now. I'm just a little shaken up."

"Well I'm glad you called me, Ana. And you need to watch out with that creep, I've heard way too many stories about him."

"I know, me too."


	9. Chapter 9

**Crash Course:**  
**Chapter 9**

(Disclaimer: This fanfic is based on the characters of Fifty Shades of Grey, only my original ideas belong to me.)

* * *

Everything returned to it's regular balance as the storm officially rolled out of Washington by Tuesday morning. After the run in with my creepy professor while walking home from work, last night had been disappointingly uneventful with Kate. We ended up watching reruns of Friends until we fell asleep together on the living room couch. She had finally calmed down about the whole weekend I spent away from home and no longer seemed suspicious about it.

But now Christian wanted me to spend _another_ weekend with him.

It's not that I didn't want to be with him- I did! Sometimes in the middle of the day, I would just close my eyes and daydream about us being together. The way he would hold me in his bed or kiss me so hard on the lips that it made my mouth sore. Something tingled inside of me and my knees felt weak as my mind traveled to his warm living room rug in front of the beaming fireplace...

I grunted at myself while slipping a beige knitted scarf around my neck.

There was no way I could fool Kate again.

"Come on, Ana. We're going to be late!"

_Speak of the devil..._

I followed my roommate's voice out of my bedroom and into the kitchen where she was already throwing her coat on. From behind, I noticed that her hair was straight, smooth and flowed down her back today. I raised an eyebrow at her, "You flat-ironed your hair today?" I was so used to seeing her with her natural curls, but she looked equally beautiful with straight hair. Usually she was against using any heat-products on her hair because of the "damage" it caused.

"Yeah, I have a date with Elliot tonight. He's taking me ice-skating down by Coldwater Lake."

I could already picture the dreamy look on her face and the sparkles in her eyes. She shook her head lightly, "Speaking of Elliot, he texted me last night inviting me to _Mr. Christian Grey's_ dinner party on Saturday. It supposed to be like this boring business promotion. He said I could bring one guest, would you like to come?"

Something felt stuck in my throat and then I suddenly remembered when Christian said he'd be having a dinner party to promote the opening of his company. I just didn't think it would be this soon. She finally turned around to face me after buttoning up her long black pea coat. A smile appeared on her face, "I love the outfit. Lately you've been dressing exceptionally well. Are you trying to impress someone?" Her head tilted to the side and her long hair flowed over one shoulder.

I looked down at myself and shrugged, hiding the fact that I spent nearly half an hour picking out this ensemble. I was wearing an outfit that Kate would definitely approve of: beige scarf, tight black jeans, brown cardigan and military boots.

"It's Jose, isn't it?"

"What?" I choked on my saliva.

"You like Jose, don't you? Ever since the semester started, you've been dressing differently and you've been wearing makeup and styling your hair... it's so obvious now! Oh my God, I can't believe I never noticed it before... ever since we started having the same class together... and you guys sit next to each other-"

"No no no, you got it all wrong," I held my hands defensively in front of me. "There is nothing going on with me and Jose; I promise you!" I don't know what I was more disgusted by: the excited look on her face or the thought of me and Jose being more than friends. I knew that he was attracted to me but I just never felt the same way about him.

She nodded, but the expression on her face didn't look like she was totally convinced.

* * *

We made it to the lecture hall a minute to eight, and my chest heaved up and down as I set my messenger bag down on the wooden table. Surprisingly, Jose was already seated next to me, with his spiral notebook on the table and pen in hand. His leg was shaking impatiently, as if he was waiting for a long time for something to happen. For some reason he looked completely flustered and anxious. He didn't even wait until I was completely lowered into the chair before he whispered in my ear.

"Are you okay? I couldn't stop thinking about your _stalker_ last night."

"Shhh!" I placed a finger across my lips, "I haven't told Kate about it," I turned around but noticed she was busy texting someone on her phone. She was smiling over her screen and was totally oblivious to us. I returned to Jose and gave him a knowing look, "I don't want her to worry. And yes, I'm fine. Just a little freaked out."

"Shouldn't you tell her? Or _someone_, like the police?"

"No!" I exclaimed, "I don't want to make a big deal out of this. And anyway, he hasn't actually done anything illegal, so I can't really charge him for anything."

"You can charge him for stalking you," his voice dropped.

"I don't have any proof."

He looked as if he was going to say something else, but just then Christian came strolling into the room with his briefcase in hand. The room grew quiet as he made it to the center of the front end. I watched as he opened his laptop from behind the podium, looking rushed and disheveled. I gulped and turned away from Jose, focusing on the gorgeous man that seemed to dominate all of my thoughts.

"I trust everyone had a good weekend. You even had an extra day due to that glorious storm. I know the snow made my weekend... amazing," his eyes traveled up from his illuminating screen and locked onto me. I felt my heart leap out of my chest but the people around me didn't seem to notice the innuendo. The playful look in his eye gave me the eery feeling like he was thinking about something naughty... like something we did over the weekend.

_How is it that he can make my entire body quiver with just one look?_

"Okay class, today we'll be talking a bit about supply and demand, as well as all of the factors that go with it," he paced the front of the classroom as his power-point lesson appeared on the screen, "All of you should already know from personal experience and common sense that usually, if the price of a good increases, then the quantity demanded would decrease and vice versa. For an example, if the price of a jar of peanut butter were to drop, more people would buy it because of the lowered price. But if the price were to increase, less people would buy it and just settle for something substitutable like butter or cheese."

My pencil ran across the clean notebook in front of me rapidly. He was speaking fast, but I managed to copy all the bullet points that were emphasized on the slideshow.

"Miss Steele," I jumped at the sound of his voice as it boomed against the walls of the lecture hall. Looking up, I could feel everyone's eyes on me and my pencil slipped from between my fingers, "If the price of ties were to increase, what would happen to the demand of suit jackets?"

It took me a couple of seconds to register that _I_ was indeed the_ Miss Steele _he was speaking to in front of the class.

I blinked my eyes a few times as he stroked the silver tie that hung loosely around his neck. _Oh my God_, I almost fell out of my seat as the exact tie reflected something in my memory: That was the same tie he used to blindfold me just a couple nights ago! I gulped and my palms felt sweaty as I wiped them on my jeans.

"Well," my voice was shaky, "If the price of ties were to increase, then the demand for suit jackets would decrease."

"Why?"

"Because they're complimentary goods."

"Excellent," he smiled showing all his teeth, "It looks like someone's been studying the textbook."

I returned a limp smile, but I still felt everyone's eyes on me as I returned my gaze to the notebook in front of me. _He definitely did that on purpose! He knew that I was going to choke up in front of the whole class- especially when he mentioned the tie! Oh God the same tie he used to blindfold me... _Something ached in my lower stomach and it reminded me of the same feeling I had the first night he touched me and the moment that I had in his shower.

He continued with the lesson, and although he didn't call on me anymore, his eyes still traveled to mine a couple times. It made me feel uncomfortable- but of the kind of uncomfortable feeling that I would get around Hyde. It was mostly a giddy feeling that fluttered around my heart and in my lower stomach area. The looks he sent me made my body feel like it was on fire and my heart swooned with every smile.

An hour later, the entire class filed out of the room, but I stayed behind and slowly shimmied my notebook into my bag. Kate muttered something about going to the bathroom and Jose had another class to go to. After waiting for the last person to leave, I charged to the front of the room where he was turning off the laptop and projector.

"That wasn't funny," I crossed my arms over my chest.

There was a grin on his face, but he pretended to be innocent, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"The whole tie thing?" I rolled my eyes, "You knew I was going to make a fool of myself in front of everyone."

"No," he finally looked up at me, "I knew you were going to tell me the right answer, because you are the best student in this class. I just wanted to see that adorable blush on your face," he reached a finger out and stroked my chin softly, "And don't roll your eyes at me."

My body warmed at his touch as his finger traveled from my chin and traced the soft outline of my lips. I closed my eyes and felt my breathing hitch as his thumb rubbed against the bottom lip that often finds its way in between my teeth. I reached for his hand and pulled it away from my face, knowing that if he kept this assault going any longer I might just explode. He didn't complain and instead squeezed my hand as I opened my eyes.

"What's on your mind? I've missed you so much, have you thought about my offer for the weekend?"

I cleared my throat and regained my composure, "When were you going to tell me that you invited Kate to your business party?"

He leaned against the podium, "I told Elliot to invite her and for her to bring a guest, because I knew she would bring you. It's the only way I could have you there. It would be too suspicious if I just have _one _of my students there with me. It would look like a date or something. It's not that big of a deal," he shrugged, "You guys can come as my most dedicated students that are curious about my new line of work."

"Well, I'm going to feel like a third wheel while Kate and Elliot practically dry hump each other in public," my face felt hot, but I couldn't tell if it was from blushing or from embarrassment, "I would feel better if I had my own date. Would it be okay if I invited Jose?"

It was a last minute idea and the words were flowing out of my mouth before I even had the chance to think about it. Not even a second passed by before something flashed over his eyes, I couldn't distinguish it between anger and disappointment.

"I'd rather you didn't, but if it makes you feel more comfortable, then _sure_."

"It would make me feel a lot more comfortable."

"Okay, then it's settled. I don't care who you bring, as long as you show up I'll be happy," he lifted my hand and placed a warm, loving kiss on my knuckles, "Lets meet somewhere tonight, just you and me."

"Well Kate and Elliot are going on a date tonight. Do you want to come over?"

"Sounds like a plan, I can be there at 8:30."

"Perfect."

* * *

It was almost eight o'clock when I was spraying the register and counter at Clayton's with an all-purpose cleanser. The chemical made my hands smell like lemons, but I didn't complain as I wiped down the surface. The hardware store was getting ready to close for the night, and it was usually my job to take care of cleaning the register and sweeping the floor.

"Hey Ana, need any help?"

I turn around at a familiar voice, "Oh, hey Paul, when did you get here?"

Paul was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Clayton, who used to work at the store last year, but now he just stops by every once in a while. He's tall, with wavy blonde hair and bright green eyes that always seem to be smiling. Seriously, I don't think I've ever seen a frown on his face.

"A few minutes ago. My mom wanted me to close up the store and take inventory for her. Because of the storm, we're all sold out of shovels and flashlights."

He scratched the back of his head, and for a moment it looked like was a little nervous.

"What's up? You look like you have something on your mind."

I neglected the all-purpose cleanser and rag on the counter and turned to completely face him. I noticed that he was wearing a leather jacket that was firm around his muscles and low riding jeans that hugged his thighs and legs in all the right places.

"Well, I've been wanting to ask you for a while now- I know that I'm not really around as much anymore, but we did work together for a couple years and I really got to know you and-"

I chuckled at his ramblings, "What are you trying to say?"

He smiled softly and dropped his hand from behind his head, "What I'm trying to say is that I'd really like to take you out sometime. You know... just the two of us."

"Oh?"

I gulped. He had flirted with me before, but he was notorious for having a different girlfriend every three or four months. It drove Mrs. Clayton crazy and I couldn't count how many times the older woman told me that she'd wish he would just settle down with a girl already. I hope they didn't think that that girl would be me.

"There's this great concert on Saturday night, I'd really like to take you. If you're interested..."

"That actually sounds like a lot of fun, but I already have plans for Saturday night."

He looked taken back, as if a bookworm like me would have plans on a Saturday night. My face turned red, and I wondered if he thought I was lying about having plans. It honestly wouldn't surprise me, yet the disappointment was obvious in his facial expression. He shifted his gaze on something else, "Oh okay, that's cool. Maybe another time, right?"

I nodded slowly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. I didn't want him to think I was lying, but how could I explain that I didn't like him without being awkward? Thankfully, I glanced at the big clock on the wall, "Oh, it's passed eight, I should be going."

"I'll walk you out," he muttered.

I threw my coat on over the hardware store's maroon t-shirt. I wrapped my beige scarf around my neck, swung my messenger bag over my shoulder and allowed him to escort me out of the front door. Cold air hit my face as soon as the door whipped open. It was dark, and I felt Paul's eyes on me as I walked out before him.

"I'm sorry if I made things weird by asking you out."

I looked up at him, feeling my ponytail slide down my shoulder.

"No, no it's not weird," I lied.

"I know it seems like I never really paid much attention to you, but ever since the day my parents hired you... I just... I guess I've always had a crush on you," he was close enough to me that I could see the pleading look in his eyes.

He was right though- he never really did pay any attention to me when I first got hired. I was just another worker at the shop. He would help his dad stock things on the shelves while I tended to the register, that's how it's always been. Sure, I always admired his good looks... his chiseled features and the way his shirts used to hug his abdomen... But I never felt anything more for him. Not like what I feel for Christian.

What _do_ I feel for Christian?

"Look," I placed a hand on his chest, "Maybe one day we can hang out or something, but now is not a really good time. And I should get going, I'm meeting up with a friend at 8:30."

He nodded, "Okay I guess I'll be seeing you around."

I couldn't help but notice the sadness of his rejection shining through his eyes. Before I knew it, he was pulling me up into a hug, a big, warm hug. My feet were on it's toes as he lifted me into his arms and against his chest. His leather jacket was cold on my face as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"It was good seeing you again, Paul."

"You too, Steele."

I smiled and pulled away, remembering that he used to always call me by my last name. Waving goodbye, I finally left him standing in front of the store and started down the dark sidewalk. I took no more than four steps when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

Christian's name was flashing on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Who is he?"

I felt goosebumps on my face.

"Are you watching me?" I turned around and sure enough, Mr. Grey was standing on the corner of the block, just passed the entrance of the hardware store. Paul had already went inside, and the lights in the store were already dim. I gulped and hung up the phone when I saw him walking closer to me. My legs felt weak and I was feeling guilty for some reason, "What are you doing here?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"His name is Paul, his parents own the store. Now, can you please explain what you're doing here?"

I noticed that his hair looked as if he was running his hands through it several times. It was messy in the front and hung over his forehead a little. He was wearing his usual dark coat, but instead of the slacks he was wearing this morning, he was now wearing a pair of blue faded jeans and black boots.

"I don't like the way he was touching you."

I rolled my eyes in the darkness, "It was a hug. I hadn't seen him in a long time, it was just a friendly hug, that's all," I lied, "Now can you please answer my question? What are you doing here."

His hand stroked the side of my face and he placed a soft kiss on my cheek, "I didn't want you walking home alone."

* * *

**Guysss, I'm soo sorry! I know I haven't updated in about two weeks, but due to Hurricane Sandy, I lost the electricity in my house for about a week and a half. It was impossible for me to update since I couldn't use my laptop or the internet. I hope no one else was affected by the storm, I live in NY, but I know other states were also really hurt too. Was anyone else hit by the storm?**

**On a positive note, I just wanted to acknowledge the 200+ reviews! That's amazing! Thanks guys :)**

**- Kelly.**


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